


King Of Wishful Thinking

by writeyourownlifestory



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - The Wedding Singer Fusion, M/M, Singer Johnny Lawrence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:53:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 22,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28577814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writeyourownlifestory/pseuds/writeyourownlifestory
Summary: After being left at the altar by his "true love", Johnny swears to never sing another love song for as long as his career as a venue performer continues. That is until the unlikely request from a new friend has him playing a different tune.AKA: the Wedding Singer AU nobody asked for!
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 60
Kudos: 100





	1. White Wedding - Billy Idol

**Author's Note:**

  * For [StoriesofmyLife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoriesofmyLife/gifts).



> StoriesOfMyLife challenged me to write a story based off a list of books and films they had come up with. Welp! I made my choice. Let's see how this plays out, shall we?

Johnny could always tell how long a couple would last based solely on what song they danced their first dance to. He could put money on it, he was so confident and several times in the past, he had done just yet. He had gotten his guitar a new strap thanks to the Leibowitz divorce (“Groovy Kind Of Love” by Phil Collins) and new rims on his car thanks to the Clarks calling it quits (“Lady In Red” by Chris de Burgh). 

He had been in this business for a long time now, singing at hundreds of weddings over the years. He knew when couples would stay together for years to come or call it quits in just a couple of weeks. 

Still, that never tainted his idea of marriage or having a wedding in the first place. How could it? Even if you make the smallest mistake, there is always room for a second chance, a second wedding. Hell, one guy got married four times and Johnny was there to sing at each one of the weddings. And if he played his cards right, he’d be singing at the fifth one too. 

It was easy to work, but Johnny was good at what he did. Putting on a bright smile, performing bop after bop for the lucky couple. It would be simple enough to just put on a show, but that wasn’t Johnny. He gave it his all and that’s because he wanted to. Because despite making a hundred bucks a night (not including tip!), he loved his job. 

And hey, was it even really a job if he loved it so much? He didn’t think so. What other career choice allowed you to sing your heart out, eat decent food, and munch down on gourmet cake when all was said and done? Not many, that was for sure. 

Johnny was lucky and he knew that for a fact. He had a great career, great life, and a great girl who would be his wife in less than a week. Who could ask for more? 

Johnny had just finished his second rendition of “Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel when he decided to take a small break. He had his own set he liked to follow, but he always welcomed requests. It made the night more interesting so long as he knew the song and very rarely did he not know whatever song they threw his way. 

He took pride in having a wide catalog tucked into his belt. 

He watched from the sidelines as the family of the groom got up to talk, telling some cheesy story about when they were kids that have either been told a million times or were just the right amount of embarrassing to tell in front of everyone. 

“Please tell me you saw the new guy,” Jessica mentioned as she came to his side. 

Johnny, who had yet to actually sit down and eat because he’d rather suffer an empty stomach than let the band play on without him, turned his head away from the buffet table to glance over to the new waiter working the floor. 

“Fresh meat?” He asked curiously, catching a small glimpse of the guy before turning his attention back onto his plate. 

The perk of working the venues meant getting to eat whatever was served. Most places tried to be a bit fancier, having chicken or fish as the choices, but now and then you’d get some great father of the bride who paid the extra to have multiple choices spread out for all guests to have, wedding singer included. 

“Amanda’s roommate,” She revealed, sighing softly. “Do you see those cheeks?” 

“On his face or his ass?” Johnny questioned, smirking as he said them.

He had known Jessica for as long as he worked there. She was a fun girl who sometimes put her foot in her mouth, but it was all in good fun. She was an adventure seeker who worked as the limo driver for the venue. 

“Both!” She proclaimed boldly. “He’s adorable. I want to sink my teeth into him.” 

“It’s his first day,” Johnny reminded her. 

“Exactly! And it takes the new guys weeks to learn that they shouldn’t sleep with people from work.” 

“And you love to be the one to teach that to them,” Johnny commented, looking back over to the new guy. 

He was cute, with a boyish charm to him that Johnny could recognize in himself back when he first got hired. He was tan with big eyes, a pleasant smile, and swoopy hair that fit the latest styles well enough. He seemed to be handling the job well enough, swaying easily through the tables, only to accidentally bang the edge of his tray on the head of a guest. Johnny snickered, looking back over to Jessica. “At least he’s quick on his feet.” 

Jessica opened her mouth to comment but was cut off by the sharp squeak of the microphone. It seemed the best man was giving another speech, this one filled with slurs and embarrassing tales that included hookers in Mexico. Sighing, Johnny handed his plate over to Jessica. “Welp. My breaks over,” He muttered in defeat, making his way over to the stage. 

He moved behind the raving man, grabbing the mic cord and pulling hard, stealing the item back from the intoxicated man. “The best man, everybody!” He cheered, holding the mic in his elbow as he forced a round of applause from the guest. Patting the best man’s back, Johnny gently shoved him towards the stairs of the stage. 

The man was obviously drunk, rambling on even without the microphone in his hand, and Johnny waited until he was back on the ground, moving through the crowd, before taking the attention back on. 

“Listen. We all do stupid stuff before meeting the love of our lives. I know I certainly did. My own wedding is just a few days away and my girl Shannon, well she could tell you a handful of stories I’m not so proud of. But if I can be even half as happy as you two look right now, I know the bad times will be worth it.” Reaching out, Johnny took his glass that had been sitting on the bench by the piano, raising high for all to see. “To the lovely couple! May you forget the past and look forward to your bright future together.” 

The guests around them drank happily and after taking a quick sip from his own glass, Johnny gestured for the band to pick up again, starting with a Madonna classic to get the ball rolling. He performed another nine songs before taking another break, letting the band play on without him for a short while so he could use the bathroom. 

On his way back he spotted a kid, maybe even a teenager, heaving by the stage. Johnny had seen what happens to kids who are given drinks by irresponsible relatives at events like these and took pity on the kid. 

“Hey. You alright?” He asked, getting a small nod in response. “You gonna yack?” Another nod came his way. Placing his hand on the kid’s shoulder, he led him not to the bathroom, but out the back door and to the dumpsters. The last thing this poor kid needed was for his family to see him in such a condition, so once they were outside, he leaned the kid over and rubbed his back as he puked his guts out. “Feel better?” He asked once the kid seemed to stop. 

“Yeah,” He mumbled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. 

“Good. Go inside, get some water. And don’t drink until you’re thirsty.” He ordered, getting a small word of thanks as he passed by. 

Johnny breathed in the cool air, looking down to see he wasn’t alone outside. The new waiter that Jessica had been checking out was sitting there, enjoying a moment of privacy that Johnny now ruined, glass in hand. 

“Are you drinking too?” He asked playfully. 

The guy, whose name Johnny had yet to learn, shook his head quickly. “It’s just soda.”

“I’m kidding. When you work at this place, it’s hard to not drink on the job,” He teased, going to plop down on the stairs beside him. 

“Well, if I was, I’d be puking worse than that kid there,” He muttered shyly. “That was nice of you, by the way. Helping him out.”

“Kids do stupid shit. I’m sure he’s going to get an ear full. The least I could do is keep his family from seeing him puke.” Johnny admitted. “You’re Amanda’s roommate? I’m Johnny.” 

He held out his hand, one the other man took and shook. “Daniel. You’re the wedding singer, right?” 

“The one and only,” Johnny said proudly, leaning back casually.

“Are you the one getting married on Sunday?” Daniel asked curiously. “I took Amanda’s shift, so I’ll be working it.” 

“If you hit anybody with a tray, try to aim for this bleached blond guy, Dutch. I’ve known him since high school and I think he could use a bit of a dent.” 

Daniel groaned, hiding his face in his hands. “How many people say that?” 

“Not that many,” Johnny reassured him. “Don’t sweat it. Waiting is harder than it looks. My girl used to do it before finishing cosmetology school. I actually tried to get her to work at the venue after she graduated, but she’s pretty stubborn.”

“You would be the package deal. You sing the songs, she makes the couple look presentable.” 

Johnny smiled brightly, bobbing his head with excitement. It had been his exact thought process at the time. Working with Shannon would be a dream come true, though she didn’t buy the idea. She wanted to work on movie stars, not just women who would look like a starlet for a day. 

“See! You get it.” Johnny mentioned, his eyes falling onto the ring that sat on Daniel’s hand. It wasn’t too flashy, but even in the dim light hanging above them, Johnny could see the shine of the diamond tucked away on the band. “And you? When was your big day?” He asked curiously. 

Daniel blushed then, shaking his head as he looked down at his hand. “Oh no. We haven’t picked a day yet.” He admitted. “I don’t think we’ll ever pick a day if I’m being honest.”

“Awe, come on. Don’t sound so bleak. A wedding is a big deal, you know. Everything has to be perfect.”

“If I do pick a day and I choose this venue, are you gonna be the one singing at it?” 

“You think I’d let some other schmucks perform? Wedding Singing is what I do.” 

Johnny turned as the door opened, another guest coming out to puke into the trash. An instrumental version of “Our Lips Are Sealed” could be heard echoing through the hallway and Johnny knew that was his cue to return. 

“I love the Go-Gos. Belinda Carlise is a goddess.” Daniel mentioned, tapping his foot along to the echoed tune. 

Johnny stood up, running his hands down his suit to clean himself up. “I gotta head back. I’ll see you on Sunday?” 

“Hey! I know this is a dumb question, but are you going to sing at your own wedding?” Daniel asked, turning back to look at him. 

Johnny shrugged, smirking as he opened the door to head inside. “That’s something you’ll have to find out for yourself,” 

With that, Johnny went back inside, hopping on stage to perform the last few songs of the night. He had taken the rest of the week off to prepare for his own wedding. He and Shannon weren’t going on a honeymoon, instead just enjoying a few days together in the suit they rented at the Hilton. It wouldn’t be anything special, but being away from home and celebrating their time together as newlyweds would be something they could both enjoy. 

When Sunday came around, Johnny was up at the crack of dawn, rustling around with his hair and checking out all the decorations. It was a nice day, with cool air and no rain. Johnny had planned this weekend out perfectly, knowing that he wanted nothing but the best for the two of them. He and Shannon were married in his backyard, mostly because it saved money, but also because she didn’t want to get sand in her shoes, so a wedding by the water had been swapped for something a little more lowkey. 

They had made the backyard look like a fairytale dream, with streamers and flowers from all around. Rather than the typical “Here Comes The Bride”, Johnny was having the band perform “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey for when Shannon walked down, finding it to be a bit more unique and romantic. 

As guests arrived, Johnny did everything he could to keep his nerves down. He shouldn’t have been this nervous on account of being around weddings for as long as he has, but as the hours dwindled, Johnny’s heart continued to race. 

It was an intimate affair, filled with friends and family. Jessica was taking the place as his best woman, while his faux nephew Miguel, who was barely eight years old, was playing the part of both the ring bearer and the flower boy. Johnny stood at the front of the aisle, waving to grandma Rosa as they continued to wait. 

He stood at the altar, waiting patiently for the music to start playing and for his bride to be to make her way towards him. She was running late, but Johnny blamed that on her taking forever with her makeup and her hair. She was a perfectionist in that area, so Johnny knew everything had to be precise before she was ready to make her entrance. 

Johnny’s heart jumped in his throat when Carmen made her way down the aisle, reaching him with a sympathetic smile. “Johnny honey. Come with me,” She requested, taking his hand and leading him behind the gazebo to where they had the curtains drawn up for the pictures. “Shannon’s mom called.” 

Johnny’s heart raced and he moved closer to her. “Is everything okay?” 

Carmen bobbed her head, squeezing his hand tightly. “Shannon wasn’t there, but she left a note.”

Johnny should have stopped then. Should have turned and run, but instead, he continued. “What did it say?”

Carmen sighed, shaking her head. “Shannon isn’t coming.” She said quietly. 

And just like that, everything stopped for Johnny. He could still hear the violins playing, but the sound was warped and time seemed to move so slowly that it took Carmen repeating his name for him to finally wake up. 

“I’ll excuse me for a second?” He asked, breaking away from her so he could go into the house. He splashed cold water on his face, gripping the sink tightly in his hands. 

“She’s not coming.” He said aloud, having to say it just to believe it. He looked up out the window, seeing the guests shifting in their seats, the big heart that Carmen had painted off to the side, and the gazebo decorated so perfectly, just the way Shannon wanted it. 

Johnny’s eyes shifted and he caught his reflection in the glass, sending him through a small fit of rage. He thrust his arm out, throwing everything off the counter and out of sight. Glasses and bottles, appetizer trays, and even the cake, all thrown onto the floor, broken and battered without a second thought. 

The gentle music from the back yard came to a sudden stop as his own anger echoed through the backyard and Carmen was quick on her feet to send everybody home.


	2. Love Stinks - The J. Geils Band

Johnny did everything in his power to not smash his hand through the television. Miguel was sitting in the living room, strumming on Johnny’s guitar because that’s exactly what he and Johnny always do when he doesn’t have to be at school. Rosa’s birthday was coming up soon enough, and Miguel wanted to play her favorite song as a surprise. Miguel was a fast learner, despite being so young and he would show the kid all the greatest albums and vibes, wanting him to be as educated on music as Johnny was. MTV was on the screen and Johnny was barely even watching it, instead of allowing himself to suffer in silence. 

The universe seemed to be toying with him since they decided to play love song after love song, taunting Johnny with every verse, every lyric. Right now they had one of Johnny’s favorite performers, Nariyoshi Miyagi, who is Johnny’s opinion was one of the greatest guitar players of all time, as well as songwriters. He had been a great influence for Johnny growing up and had been one of the reasons he wanted to be a musician. 

However, at this moment, Johnny didn’t want to listen to the great master perform. He wanted to wallow in his own self-pity, crawl into a deep hole, and sleep until he got in contact with Shannon so they could talk this over. 

“Are you honestly surprised, Johnny?” Jessica asked, her hands on her hips as she watched Johnny from where he sat on the couch in his pajamas. She dropped by to check on him, finding that he was still sulking. “You should have known that bitch would pull something like this,” 

“Please don’t call her that. We’re gonna get back together and then it’s going to be weird.” 

“She left you on your wedding day, why the hell would you want to get back with her?” 

“Because we love each other. This has just been a big misunderstanding.” Johnny swore, catching as Carmen came in carrying groceries. 

Carmen had been his best friend since childhood, having moved into the same apartment building after he and his mom moved out of their house following the divorce from his step-dad. Carmen was there for him after his mom died and he was there for her after Miguel’s dad ran off. They worked hard, both saving up along with her mother Rosa to afford this house, which Johnny shared with them, keeping the basement for himself as a small apartment he planned on sharing with Shannon until they had a place of their own. 

“Miggy, come help me put these away,” Carmen called out, going to stand in the doorway. “Johnny. Shannon’s car is outside.” 

Johnny smirked at Jessica, pushing up off the couch and hurrying outside. He sat back on the front porch, watching as Shannon made her way over to him. 

Her hair was curled the way she said she wanted for the wedding and her nails had those fancy French tips that had become more popular with new brides. The strong scent of Escada perfume filled the air and Johnny had remembered Shannon’s mom getting her a new bottle just before the wedding. 

“You’re late,” Johnny commented softly. “Better than never, I guess.” 

Shannon sighed, her hands falling onto her hips as she looked at him. 

“If you needed time, you could have said so,” Johnny told her outright. “We could have postponed. We could have waited for you to be ready.” 

“I don’t think I’m ever going to be ready, Johnny.” She admitted. “I thought I was, but then I was getting ready I started to think it over and I just couldn’t do it.” 

“Do what? We had plans, Shannon.” 

“And what were those plans, Johnny? To get married and live in your best friend's basement? To have a family while you’re barely making a hundred bucks a performance?”

Johnny found himself flabbergasted. It didn’t make sense to him. None of it did. How could they have spent all the time, money, and effort into preparing for this wedding only for her to change her mind at the last second? And then use the excuse of his job as to why she thought that way. 

“We could have saved up. I _have_ been saving up.” 

“I don’t want to marry a wedding singer, Johnny! I woke up yesterday morning and I realized that the guy that I fell in love with, that isn’t you. I was ready to marry Johnny from six years ago, who was the lead singer of King Cobra, who wore leather pants and wanted to get a snake tattoo.” 

“I can still get the tattoo. I’ll put it anywhere you want.” 

“What I want is to marry a man who has goals and actually plans on leaving Reseda.” 

“What’s wrong with Reseda?” 

Shannon groaned, tossing her hands up dramatically. “God, you are so blind. Look, I know this sucks, but you had to have seen this coming?” 

“If I had, why the fuck would I have expected you to come yesterday?” Johnny stood then, reaching out to take Shannon’s hand in his own. “Hey! Shannon, baby. I love you. And if goals and plans are what you want, then we can work that out. Just give me the chance.” 

“Hi, Shannon!” Miguel called out, poking his head from the front door. Shannon smiled, waving her hand to the young boy. “Aunt Jessica says you’re a bitch!” 

Miguel yelped as he was dragged back inside by Carmen, who was laughing it off as she waved to the two, closing the door behind her. Shannon pulled her hand back from him, pushing her hair from her face. “Get out of the eighties, Johnny. It’s time to grow up.” She told him, walking back down the pathway to her car. 

Johnny watched as she drove off, the weight of her loss weighing heavy on his shoulders as he slumped back down on the porch. Without a honeymoon, Johnny had taken a week off from work so that he and Shannon could spend time together. 

Rather than holding himself up in the suit he had rented for them to share, Johnny chose to hide away in his bedroom, refusing to come out unless it was for food or drinks. He drank every single beer they had in the house, including the one Rosa had kept for herself for nights she wanted to get a little wild. He had felt like absolute garbage, but that was the point, right? 

He tried to go over everything she had said to him, to pinpoint the exact moment he lost her forever. It didn’t make sense to him. How the fuck was he stuck in the eighties? Sure, his hair was long but he maintained it well! His style wasn’t always clean-cut, but he did his laundry every week and his band tee shirts were that nice type of vintage where there weren’t too many holes or stains. He dressed nicely when he had to go to work and while his car wasn’t something to brag about he liked to think of it as vintage. 

But none of that mattered to Shannon. 

He had no goals. No plans. He was a nobody. A single loser who got left at the altar and couldn’t offer anybody anything. He was going to stay like that for as long as he could, until Jessica herself had to drag him out of the house because he was late for a gig. 

Johnny hadn’t even thought about going back to work. How could he? Who wanted to attend a wedding after being abandoned on their own. “Just go, Jessica. Let them replace me with a DJ. That’s where this industry is going anyway.” 

“DJ’s don’t have the personality that you do, Johnny. Now come on!” Jessica snapped, throwing his suit at him. “If you don’t hurry up, we’re both going to be late.”

“Let them fire me. It’s not like I have anything more to lose.” 

“Are you seriously going to let Shannon do this to you? Singing is what you do! It’s what you’re good at.”

Johnny lifted his head, his eyes narrowing. “Yeah? Then why haven’t I become some big rockstar? Why the fuck did I settle to sing for happy couples rather than becoming the next David Lee Roth?” 

“Because there is only one DLR? Just like there is only one Johnny Lawrence.” Jessica took his arm then, tugging on it roughly to get him up. “Either you get up now or I’m going to tell Carmen that you’re skipping out. Scratch that, I’ll tell _Rosa_.” 

Johnny pressed a pillow into his face, groaning loudly. “Why can’t I just suffer alone?” 

“Because buddy, being single isn’t the worst thing in life. Trust me. Now let’s go!” 

Johnny did go, only because he truly did fear the rather of Rosa. He put on his suit, only care combing his hair before following Jessica out. He hasn't showered since the wedding, so he let Jessica douse him in that cucumber melon spray she carried in the limo before getting up on stage. 

He sang the songs that had been requested and put on his setlist, though even he knew it wasn’t going well. The luster was lacking and each love song that he had to perform was just another stab to his heart. 

People were dancing, but only because that was what you did at weddings. You dance, have a good time, and celebrate the union of the happy couple.

He took a long sip of his beer, something he never did while on the job, but who gave a shit anymore, right? Life was a sham, love was a lie, and marriage was fucking bullshit. 

“Well, look at you two,” Johnny muttered, gazing down at the bride and groom. “Sarah and Mike. Sarah! You actually showed! Congrats, Mike. You did what not every man can do -- you found a woman who showed up.” 

There was an awkward round of applause and a few coughs from the crowd. Johnny took a sip of his beer, humming into the microphone. 

“What do you do for work, Mike?” 

The groom shifted slightly, pulling at his tie. “I’m a doctor.” 

“A doctor? Well fuck,” Johnny muttered into the mic, receiving gasp all around. “You make a ton of money, don’t you? Money is important. It brings security, and plans, and a whole bunch of shit that women want. Congrats, Mike. I doubt she’ll ever leave you.”

“Hey!” Johnny looked at the edge of the stage where the father of the bride was standing. “I paid you to sing, not talk!” 

“Well, that’s great sir but seeing as I am the one with the microphone, I think I can do whatever the fuck I want.” Johnny breathed heavily, looking back to the bride and groom. “I’m happy for you guys. Truly. Not everybody can find somebody who will show up. I didn’t. That guy over there definitely didn’t.” Johnny stopped, gesturing to a poorly dressed man across the way. He began looking over the crowd, spotting an unpleasant looking woman in the corner. “Nobody even bothered to ask that lady!” 

Wrapping the cord around his neck, Johnny gestured for the band to start playing. “This goes out to you guys! And anybody else who is a certified loser.” 

Johnny had just about gotten to the bridge of Nazareth’s “Love Hurts” before the father of the bride had enough and jumped on the stage to give Johnny a piece of his mind, as well as his fists. Johnny had never gotten into a fight during a gig before, but he guessed there was a first time for everything. 

The only reason he hadn’t been arrested was due to Jessica making a distraction so he could escape out the back, choosing to hide out in the dumpster until everybody went home. He wasn’t sure how long he had been in there for, but when the door opened, he expected to see Jessica telling him it was time to go. 

Instead, he found Daniel leaning over the side of the dumpster, looking particularly sympathetic. “The cops are gone,” Daniel told him quietly. 

“Are they still together?” Johnny asked quietly. “They chose “Slave To Love” to be their first dance. They won’t last three years.” 

“I’ll get back to you on that. Come on,” Daniel reached into the dumpster, taking Johnny’s hand to pull him out. Johnny groaned, stretching out his muscles as he got his feet on the ground. “You put up a good right back there. Do you know karate?” 

“Did it in high school,” He admitted, cracking his neck muscles. 

“I’m sorry about what happened,” Daniel told him then. “With Shannon. Great guys like you don’t deserve that type of treatment.” 

“I’m not a great guy, Daniel.”

Daniel waved him off, dusting his hand over Johnny’s shoulder to get off any garbage. “Of course you are. Tonight was just a fluke.” 

“Tonight was the last wedding I ever performed,” Johnny said decidedly. 

There were other things to do in this town. Other gigs to perform. The venue has not fired him just yet anyway. Surely they could use him for other things. 

Daniel frowned, looking down at his feet. “That’s a shame. I was hoping you’d perform at mine,” He confessed. “My fiance, he finally chose a date.” 

Johnny blinked, shifting where he stood. Even with his broken heart, he couldn’t allow himself to be a complete bastard. In the dim light from above, Johnny could see Daniel’s ring shining on his finger. It was a gaudy ring if he was being completely honest. 

Probably cost a good amount of money too. Johnny had saved up for two years to buy Shannon’s ring and it wasn’t even a full caret. Most men didn’t have diamonds on their rings, but whoever proposed to Daniel seemed to love him enough to buy him the real deal. 

“Congrats, Daniel.” 

“I was hoping you’d sing at it. It’s three months away.” 

Johnny shook his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Daniel. I’m sorry. You’re a nice guy and I’d do anything for Amanda, but I can’t do it anymore.” 

Daniel bobbed his head in understanding. “Will you at least come to the engagement party? Jessica is invited too.” 

“I’ll think about it, okay?” He promised, turning on his heel to head into the parking lot.

Daniel offered a sweet smile, one that almost touched his eyes. “All right. I’ll see you around, I guess?” 

Johnny waved him off, not feeling particularly hopeful about it. For now, it didn’t matter. It had been a long, agonizing night and Johnny just wanted to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks, I hope you like this chapter. This week hasn't been the best for me, so I tried to edit it to the best of my ability, though I'm sure I might have missed something.


	3. Material Girl - Madonna

Johnny had very little intention of going to Daniel’s engagement party. The fact that it was on the three week anniversary of his own wedding was enough of a sign for him to know that it wasn’t the right move to make. 

He had to focus on himself, not surround himself with other people's happiness. He had to move on in the world and stop getting involved in the lives of others. The only reason he had even agreed to leave the house was that Carmen was being universally nagging, trying to remind him again and again of all the reasons why it was better for him to be on his own than for him to be tied down by Shannon.

“You’re a hopeful romantic, Johnny, or at least you were. Shannon didn’t care about any of that sweet stuff. She just wanted you to fawn over her.” 

“I think the term is _hopelessly_ romantic, Carm,” Johnny muttered, tossing his stress ball up into the air, catching it as it came back down. 

“You want to know something? I don’t even believe you fully loved her,” Carmen said boldly. 

“Loved who?” Jessica asked as she made her way inside. 

Johnny had very suddenly regretted ever giving her a key in the first place. 

“Shannon,” Carmen explained. “You loved her, but you weren’t _in love_ with her. You were in love with the idea of her. The idea of marriage and love itself.” 

“I can’t be in love with love, Carmen,” Johnny grumbled, sitting up front where he was laying down on the couch. He looked over to Jessica, noticing her fancy attire. “What are you all dressed up for?”

“Daniel’s party is tonight. We’re going.” She told him decidedly. 

Johnny was quick to share his head, tossing the ball up once more. “Not happening.”

Carmen caught it this time around, pulling it away from Johnny as she stepped back. “You can either go out and live your life or I’ll tell Miguel that you’re ready to teach him that Air Supply song he has been wanting to learn.” 

Johnny narrowed his eyes at the woman, weighing out his options. He stood, already making his way down to his bedroom to change. “You’re a cruel woman,” He commented along the way. 

They pulled up to the gated community, the large house practically screaming ‘you’re not welcome’ as the two entered. 

“Who knew Daniel was so rich?’ Jessica asked as they walked through the place. “Why would he work for the venue if he came from all this?” 

“I don’t know, Jess. I try not to think of what rich people do.” He grumbled, taking a glass as a waiter walked by. 

The house was nice, reminding Johnny of the place he used to live before his mom’s divorce. The whole place looked like a museum, rather than an actual home. There was waitstaff walking around with drinks and food on trays and a pianist performing music in the corner, making the whole thing even more well off than anticipated. 

Johnny listened for a moment, catching onto the tune of “Love Of My Life” by Queen. Odd tune to play at an engagement party but Johnny knew plenty of people who didn’t bother to listen to the lyrics of songs, instead going by the cheery melody or cheeky title.

Johnny turned away, finally catching sight of Daniel across the room. He was dressed nicely, a vision in blue with his hair brushed out. He was mingling with the guest before spotting them and breaking away. 

“Hey! Thank you for coming. I was worried I’d be stuck talking to my mom’s friends all night.” 

“Your house is gorgeous, Daniel,” Jessica mentioned as she continued to look around. 

Daniel looked around, waving his hand dismissively. “This? God no. This is all Chozen’s. He comes from a wealthy family in Japan. They bought this when they moved here.” 

“Hey, it could be worse. You could be living like Johnny and me in Reseda.” Jessica mentioned. 

“What the hell is wrong with Reseda?” Johnny asked, waiting for Jessica to give him an answer. When she faltered, he turned to Daniel, smirking. “Hey, Daniel. Jessia here thought you were adorable when she first saw you.” 

Daniel blinked, turning to face Jessica then. “She did?” 

Jessica grimaced, shifting awkwardly where she stood. “Johnny, come on.” 

“She wanted to sink her teeth into you.” 

Jessica blushed deeply, shaking her head as she walked off, utterly mortified. 

“Jess, come on! You can bite me if you want!” Daniel laughed, turning back to Johnny. “You’re cruel.” 

“At times,” Johnny agreed, stepping back as another man came around, his arm wrapping around Daniel’s waist possessively. He was dressed like every other yuppie Johnny had interacted with in life. High waisted pants, a v-neck cut too low, with slicked-back hair, and sunglasses topped high on his head even though it was late into the night. 

“Having fun without me, Dan?” 

“Johnny, this is my fiance Chozen. Cho, this is Johnny, from the venue.” 

Chozen’s dark eyes widened and a large, almost mean smile spread across his lips. “Oh! You’re a wedding singer. Daniel told me what happened. I don’t know how I’d live with myself after something like that.” 

“I actually tried to kill myself but the noose wasn’t tight enough,” Johnny deadpanned. 

Chozen shrugged it off, either not realizing it was a joke or just didn’t care if it was the truth. “Well, maybe you can help Daniel with our wedding. All that romantic stuff, it makes me sick.” 

Another guest called Chozen’s name, sending the guy off to follow the voice. Daniel offered a polite chuckle, leaning Johnny over to sit so they could talk. “Chozen wants to get married, but he isn’t into the idea of a big wedding. He had originally suggested we fly to Japan for a quick ceremony, but I wanted to have something small here at home.” 

“Is he helping at all with the planning?” 

Daniel grimaced, sipping slowly from his glass. “He isn’t into planning. And my mom still lives all the way in Jersey. Amanda is trying her best, but she doesn’t know the first time of wedding planning. I’m trying my best, but it’s rough. I went down to Imperial floral, but they were pretty intense.” 

“Imperial?” Johnny asked, already knowing the bastards took advantage of Daniel. “Don’t use them. Half their shit is plastic and they charge you an arm and a leg. Head to Tony’s on Main Street. He’s a good guy and will get you everything fresh.” 

“Tony’s.” Daniel mimicked with a bob of his head. “All right. I’ll try it. Thanks. And if you have any other suggestions, let me know.” 

“Dan! Come here. I want you to meet someone!” Chozen called out from across the room. 

Daniel offered an apologetic smile before hurrying off. Johnny finished off his drink before heading out, having had enough for one night. He wound up seeing Daniel again a week later at the venue for another event. 

To keep his job, Johnny apologized to the owners for what happened at the last wedding. They took pity on him, using the fact that he was left at the altar as a way of getting out of them being sued. They agreed to take him off any future weddings, meaning all that was left were birthday parties, work events, and bar-mitzvahs. 

It was the latter this time around, with Johnny singing every song popular among the thirteen-year-old crowd to celebrate little Eli Moskowitz becoming a man. It was fun, at least for a little bit. Young kids were a different crowd compared to weddings. There wasn’t any alcohol involved, which meant nobody throwing up in the dumpster, but it also meant having to play all the bubbly pop music that he could come up with. 

Of course, the real difference was no love songs, something that Johnny was more than happy to take on. So long as he could put up with teenagers winking at him because they somehow thought they had a chance, he would be fine. 

“You seem to be having fun,” Daniel mentioned during his break. 

Johnny shrugged, finishing his punch. “I’ve played Madonna at least six times in the past two hours and I’ve had multiple teenage girls try to give me their phone number,” Johnny stated boldly. “I’m having a blast.”

“It’s nice to see you smile. You should work for birthday parties more often.” Daniel mentioned, leaving to refill his tray. 

Johnny rolled his eyes fondly, watching Daniel go before going to refill his cup. While leaning against the refreshment table, he caught sight of a girl sitting alone at a table. She seemed bummed, unlike the other guests who were smiling and laughing their little hearts out. 

Still have a few minutes to his break, Johnny went to investigate. “Hey. What’s got you down, kid?” 

The girl sighed, glancing over to a group of boys sitting at another table. “One of them asked me to dance, but they did it as a joke.” 

Johnny looked over, seeing the little punks laughing up a storm. “Is that so?” He asked. 

“They said I only got invited because I’m a loser and Eli felt sorry for me.” 

“Huh,” Johnny bobbed his head, finishing off his drink. He placed it down on the table before standing. “Hold that thought,” 

Moving off from the table, he went to stand by the kitchen entry, waiting for Daniel to come by so he could grab him and ask for a favor. Upon agreeing, Johnny hit the stage once again. He started up another song, this time a little bit slower for all the young love birds in the place. He watched as Daniel took off his smock, mixing up his hair a bit to give it volume before heading over to where the girl was sitting. He chatted her up for a bit, keeping her attention before eventually popping the question. Johnny could see she was hesitant at first, but when Daniel didn’t leave right away, she accepted.

Daniel took her onto the dance floor, letting the sweet sound of “Dancing In The Dark” by Bruce Springsteen as the backing track for their dance. And the look in the little prick's eyes as they saw Daniel spitting her around, well that alone was worth doing the gig in the first place. 

“You’re sweet for doing that, you know,” Daniel mentioned later that night, once the event was over and they were left to clean up.

“I can be a dick sometimes, but I remember being a kid. It’s rough. Besides, she seems cool.” 

“She was. I almost gave her my number. Such a shame I’m gay and almost fifteen years too old for her.” Daniel said, causing Johnny to erupt with laughter. “Oh! I almost forgot. Thank you again for suggesting Tony’s. His flowers are immaculate and his pricing is perfect for my budget.” 

“Would I ever steer you wrong?” 

“If there are any other suggestions you could give, I’d be more than happy to accept,” Daniel told him in earnest. “It’s been really hard trying to do all of this myself.” 

“Why isn’t your fiance helping you? It’s his wedding too.” Johnny said, popping one of the balls and tossing the rubber remains into the trash can. 

“Chozen is a businessman. His mind is all stocks and bonds. Fluffy wedding shit isn’t his forte.” 

“Still. Effort should be put in outside of just paying for it.” 

Daniel sighed heavily then, tossing the table cloth into the bin. “It’s fine, really. I can do it all on my own. And hey, if it turns into a disaster, I’ll only have myself to blame, you know?” 

Daniel was pouting then. All sad and doe-eyed as he continued to clean down the tables. Johnny wanted to leave it at that. It was his wedding and his responsibility. Johnny couldn’t help that his fiance was a total dick for not bothering to help. 

But he could see it in Daniel’s eyes that this genuinely did bother him. That he actually wanted to have the wedding of his dreams, just like Johnny had. Shannon didn’t help with their wedding, making little decisions here and there because sometimes she did want to have it her way but for the most part, Johnny was doing it all on his own. 

And he was fine with that. He loved weddings. Or at least he had, back before his heart had been smashed into a million pieces. 

Still, Daniel was a great guy who deserved to have the wedding of his dreams. 

And if Johnny helping could make that happen, then so be it. He could swallow his pride if it meant helping another hopeless romantic enjoy their last-ditch effort in having the time of their life. 

“Goddammit, Daniel. You wore me down!” Johnny cried out dramatically. 

Daniel stopped his pouting, his eyes widening with excitement. “So you’ll do it?” He asked, slamming his hand down on the table in triumph. “Yes! Thank you so much, Johnny. I promise you won’t regret this.”

“One condition!” Johnny told him, however. “I’m not singing at your wedding.” 

“You got yourself a deal,” Daniel said, sealing it with a handshake. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! So what do you all think? Is it fitting well or did I make a grave mistake making this au? Please tell me down below!


	4. What Is Love - Haddaway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plz forgive me for making Chozen the villain again I am very sorry I love him okay I really do.

Amazingly, Johnny had never gone into wedding planning with all the knowledge he had to share on the topic. He probably could join the business, but he didn’t find it half as fun as performing on stage. The wedding planner has so much to worry about and there was just so much that could go wrong. 

When you’re just the wedding singer, all you have to do is look good, sing well, and make sure everybody gets up onto the dance floor. Pretty simple if you had the personality to go with it, something that Johnny definitely did. 

But that was in the past now. Johnny was done with weddings, all except for Daniel’s, of course. The guy was hopeless really, unsure of where to start, where to look. He was using their venue on account of the employee discount, much to the dismay of the man he was marrying who was still pushing to elope. 

“Chozen isn’t big into tradition. He moved away from Japan so he could make something of himself without his family's legacy overshadowing him. But I can’t help but to want an old fashion wedding.” 

Daniel tried to explain it all over lunch, as they went over all the catering choices. Johnny was trying his best to give tips on what the best meal choices would be. Daniel’s family weren’t picky eaters, and neither were Chozen’s, but it seemed they liked what they liked and he didn’t think the simple choice of chicken or fish would sit well with them. 

“I think it would be easier just getting on a plane and heading to Vegas or Japan as he wants, but I couldn’t imagine doing that,” Daniel admitted, looking guilty for even feeling that way. 

“Some people only get married once. I mean, isn’t that the goal? Your wedding should be what you want it to be.” 

“My parents had a big wedding,” Daniel went on to explain. “From what my ma used to say, it could have competed with Princess Diana’s, it was so lavish. With the long train and poofy sleeves.” 

“Sounds like one hell of a wedding,” Johnny mentioned, flipping through the old photobooks Daniel had gotten from the venue. They hadn’t updated in some time, though Johnny didn’t mind much. Vintage was coming back after all. 

Johnny turned the venue book around, gesturing to the page he had paused on. It showed one of the meal options, which let you choose between doing buffet and dinner plates, or a combination of the two. Daniel came from a huge Italian and Greek background, so food was everything to them. Settling on some bland chicken wasn’t going to cut it, especially since Chozen’s own family would be coming straight from Japan. 

If he went with fish, it had to be fresh and if he went with pasta, it had to be homemade. Johnny knew the venue liked to cut corners, so he made a call to the house chef, talking him into buying new ingredients so that everything stepped just a step above what their usual was. It wasn’t much, but it at least got them in the right direction. 

There would be finger foods of course. The typical finger sandwiches and a few other snacks for people to munch on. The last thing Daniel wanted was for people to fill up on the little things, but you also didn’t want them to be hungry, so having a good balance was important. 

As for dessert, Daniel wanted to have more than just the wedding cake, so he took the suggestion from his family and put in an order for those little Italian cookies. Johnny went to the bakery with him and stood around as short, plump old ladies speaking barely a lick of English shoved pastries and other sweets into his mouth, trying to fatten him up as they pinched his cheeks. 

As for the wedding cake itself, Johnny tried his best to steer Daniel in the right direction. Settling for some basic buttercream cake or even chocolate was boring and trying to be special by getting something unique was equally worthy of an eye roll. Champagne had become a big seller, as well as red velvet, but all of them were pointless and mostly meant as a talking point. 

Daniel still wanted it to be a little bit special, so he chose a white sponge cake with lemon and raspberry filling. The design itself was rather pretty, with a lotus flower stream going all around it, cascading off of the platter. Johnny had seen some pretty heinous cakes in his time, but this one, in particular, was a good choice. 

“Can I ask you something?” Daniel asked, shifting closer to Johnny then. They had been given a small seat at the bakery, along with an array of treats for them to enjoy as Daniel wrote the check out for the deposit on the cake. “How did you get into wedding singing?” 

Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Hearts” was playing on the radio, making it the perfect backing track for such a conversation. 

Johnny laughed then, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. It was a simple story, one that he had told many times as he had once been very proud of it. Of course, that was back when singing at weddings was something Johnny could be proud of. Now it was a burden that cost him everything. 

“I used to be in a band. We called ourselves King Cobra. We weren’t anything special, but we had a lot of fun and we always had a good turn out. Anyway, we picked up a gig at a concert hall, because we thought the name on the bill was Quincy Jones. When we got there, it turned out to be the Jones/Quincy wedding.”

“How embarrassing,” Daniel chuckled. 

“It wasn’t our finest moment, but we got our shit together and played every single love song we could pull out of our asses. The venue liked us and offered us a permanent job. And well, Bobby wound up going to school to become a pastor and Tommy got married, so King Cobra was officially disbanded not long after. I stayed with the venue because it was a paying job and they brought on their own house band, so it’s been sweet music ever since.” Johnny paused, his smile faltering sadly. “Well, bittersweet.” 

“And you’re sure you don’t want to continue? You’ve been doing it for so long. It seems silly to throw it all away over one broken heart.” 

“I only got one heart to break, Danny. Besides, I think I’ve been doing it for too long. For now, I’ll continue to play birthday parties and whatever the hell else the venue has until I can find something new.” 

“If you’re interested in getting a job in marketing, I could have Chozen ask around. The city is always looking for fresh meat.” 

“Thanks, but no thanks. I told Carmen if I ever become a yuppie like that, she has permission to shoot my dick off.” 

“Well, we certainly don’t want that to happen,” Daniel said, bumping his foot along Johnny’s playfully. “Still. The wedding business won’t be the same without you. I’ve worked maybe four weddings since you stopped and the people they have up on stage . . . they don’t have the shine you have.” 

“It’s all just a show, Daniel. You put on a pretty smile and sing some silly love songs. Simple as that.” 

Daniel shook his head, the smile on his face growing larger. Johnny’s stomach twisted curiously at the sight of it. “No, I don’t think so. You always seemed to genuinely enjoy what you did.” 

“And I did,” Johnny admitted, leaning back in his seat. “Back when my mom left my stepdad, she used to tell me all about her dream wedding, you know? To Sid, she just had this lavish event filled with people she didn’t know in this dress she didn’t even like. But after they got divorced and it was just the two of us she used to tell me all about this wedding she used to dream about.”

Daniel shifted in his seat, leaning in closer. “Will you tell me?” 

Johnny smiled, thinking back to the memory of when he was just a teen, sitting in that small apartment his mother rented for them after leaving her abusive husband. It wasn’t much, with one bedroom they both shared until his mother’s untimely passing, but it was home.

“It was small and simple, on the beach, near the water. We used to go to the beach a lot when I was little. Before and after she married the guy. Anyway, she told me about this dream wedding beside the sea. She said she could smell the saltwater and feel the breeze on her face. Gentle music would be playing, a guitar maybe. Flowers scattered all around and then a bonfire to end the night off.” 

“That sounds amazing, Johnny,” Daniel told him in earnest. “Shannon didn’t want anything like that?” 

Johnny sighed, shaking his head. “She isn’t a fan of the beach,” He confessed. “And to be honest, I don’t think she’s been a very big fan of mine. At least not for a while. Do you know what she said when she broke up with me? That she isn’t in love with Johnny now, but Johnny from six years ago.” 

“Six years ago being….?”

“When I was and my head was filled with dreams of being a rock star. That’s who she wanted. The King Cobra. Not the wedding singer.” 

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I happen to like Johnny now,” Daniel said, his foot tapping against Johnny’s once more. 

“You’re not so bad yourself, Daniel.” The blond teased.

“Do you think you’ll ever get over her?” 

It was a question that Johnny had been asking himself for the longest time. Shannon wasn’t the only person he had ever been with, but she stuck around the longest. They had met right after Johnny’s mom had passed away, back when he was vulnerable, lost, and in need of a tender touch. Johnny knew there was more to life than settling down and having a family, but having that chance ripped away from him was still a blow he was healing from.

“Maybe someday,” He suggested, biting back a smile as he glanced over to Daniel. “You know, it’s funny. Carmen never really liked Shannon. They would butt heads all the time and while she didn’t tell me ‘i told you so’ when the wedding was called off, she did say one thing strange.” 

“What was it?” 

“That I wasn’t in love with  _ Shannon _ , that I was just in love with  _ love _ .” Johnny chuckled then, shaking his head as he thought over the suggestion again and again. “I don’t know. I did love her, deep down, but maybe somewhere along the lines she was right.”

“If that’s the case, then I hope you find it again soon. Love isn’t something you should keep at arm's length, Johnny.” 

“To be honest Daniel, I don’t even think I know what love is,” Johnny confessed, looking down at his hands. “You know, I’ve been to hundreds of weddings, but what does it all mean?”

“Love . . . could mean a lot of things,” Daniel started carefully. “It means sacrifice and acceptance, and being there for one another. You know, when my dad died, my mom always swore she’d never remarried and she didn’t, because she swore my dad was the love of her life. He’s been gone for so long now and the way she talks about him, you’d think he was still around. She kept that love alive.” 

“Yeah, but thats old fashioned love. The shit we put up with now, it’s different.” Johnny grumbled. “Love doesn’t give you security or pay the bills. Love isn’t flashy, or impressive, or smart.” 

“Love is whatever you make it, Johnny. Whether it’s as grand as getting married in a Metrodome or singing silly love songs for everyone to see. So long as it comes from your heart, that’s all that matters.” 

Johnny wanted to scoff and roll his eyes. He wanted to ask Daniel what it was about Chozen that made him feel so loved, but all that would do is drive the knife further into his heart. One of the little old ladies came back over to them, rattling off in Italian to Daniel about something. All Johnny could do is sit back and accept the inevitable, stuffing his face with pastries along the way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Johnny's heart: guess I'll just die then
> 
> What do y'all think? Worth the effort of rewatching The Wedding Singer twice in order to get the scenes mirrored?


	5. Tell It To My Heart - Taylor Dayne

Johnny never realized just how quickly weddings can happen until you start planning one. When he was buzzing like a bee, trying to make his own wedding as wonderful as he hoped it would be, it seemed to happen overnight. In a blink, the day arrived and every day since has been a lagging reminder of it. 

Daniel had three months to plan the wedding, one of those months he wasted doing it all on his own and then barely two when Johnny came around. The wedding was a week away and the two of them had already done everything they could to get it in order. 

The venue was taken care of, as well as the food. Daniel’s mother had given him shit for not having his cousin Louie be the best man, so he thought he’d give the guy a job as the limo driver since he drove taxis around in the city. 

Jessica was a little less than pleased about this and told the two of them that if the bastard wanted to take her job from him, he’d have to at least prove himself. They had set up an obstacle course in the venue parking lot and watched as Louie drove around orange traffic cones in her limo, trying to rush off to get the fake bride and groom to the wedding on time. He wound up running over two of them and coming fifteen seconds short. 

“Isn’t there something else he could do?” Jessica inquired. “He’s making a fool of himself.” 

“Is he too old to be an usher?” Daniel asked, jolting as Louie just barely ran into them while making the top. 

Louie rolled down his window, panting heavily as he looked the three over. “So?” 

“You’re late,” Jessia told him sternly. 

“So? Isn’t that shit fashionable or something?” 

“You also ran over two cones,” Johnny stated. “Those could have been guests to his wedding.” 

Louie looked back at the mangled cones he had left back in the parking lot, scoffing as he slapped his hand down on the steering wheel. “They were  _ cones! _ ” 

Easy to say, Jessica was keeping her job. They brought on a new staff since neither Daniel, Amanda, or Johnny would be working that night, instead of being guests, and since Daniel didn’t want to hire any other singer, they chose to go with a DJ booth instead. 

They sat in the basement of Carmen’s house, in Johnny’s own little space, going through CD after CD, trying to pick the best playlist for the wedding. It was harder than he expected, going through all the sappy love songs, but this was a part of the deal. The last thing Johnny wanted was for the wrong song to play at the wrong moment and ruin the entire night. 

“Music makes the event, Daniel. If you pick shitty music, you’re gonna have a shitty night.” 

“I can’t imagine there being a song you wouldn’t want to be played at a wedding.” Daniel scoffed lightly. “Aside from the obvious. Any breakup songs are obviously a no-go but what other songs could there be?” 

“Anything that even lingers on the idea of infidelity is a no-go. You’d be surprised by how many songs are about that without being necessarily explicit about it. You also don’t want something extremely or even slightly sexual. You don’t need nanna having a heart attack because of the naughty lyrics in the songs.” 

“No sex . . . whatsoever.” Daniel wrote down in big, bold letters on his notepad. “You certainly know what you’re doing. You sure you don’t want to go into the wedding planning business?” 

“I’m doing this as a favor, Larusso, but the moment you’re hitched, I’m done with the wedding stuff.” Johnny had put too much of himself into this line of work and it was high time he did something else, rather than just wasting away like he was. “Still, it was fun while it lasted.”

“How did you get so good at it?” 

Johnny shrugged, tossing a CD into the GOOD pile, before shoving an entire selection into the BAD pile. “It just came to me. I picked up on little things, mannerisms, and such. I can tell whether or not a couple will stay together based on what song they used for their first dance.” 

Daniel narrowed his eyes, a smirk dancing across those pouty lips. “Bullshit.” 

Johnny shrugged once more. “It’s true.” 

“How is that even possible?”

“Songs tell a lot about a person. About a couple. And sometimes couples don’t listen to the lyrics or maybe they just choose one that they heard once on the radio. Either way, if seen a lot of people pick songs that just didn’t work and it landed them the right to divorce court.” 

“I didn’t realize it was that deep,” Daniel admitted, looking over the array of CDs 

Johnny hummed, glancing over to the dark-haired man. “What song are you and Chozen using?” He asked, watching Daniel carefully. 

Daniel fidgeted in his seat, not saying a word for a long while. “I . . . we haven’t decided yet.” He confessed. “Chozen isn’t big into music and I want to pick something special but we haven’t been able to agree on anything yet.” 

Johnny wanted to comment, to mention that the mere fact that he hadn’t chosen a song to have their first dance to was rather telling, but he decided to keep his mouth shut and not get any more involved than he already was. 

Daniel lifted his hand, tapping his knuckles against Johnny’s knee. “What song were you going to have with Shannon?” 

Johnny smiled sadly, pushing up from his seat. He walked over to the corner of the room where his guitar was sitting, having barely been used since he cut back on his events. He picked it up, strapping it over his shoulder carefully. Slowly, he began to play the beginning chords to Journey’s “Open Arms”, just as he had so many times before. 

He watched Daniel’s curious expression falter as understanding came over him. 

_ “Hoping you’ll see, what your love means to me….”  _

“I’m so sorry, Johnny.” Daniel began somberly. 

“She chose it,” Johnny admitted. “I should have seen this coming. Not exactly the most blissful love song.” He paused, looking down at the guitar. “She also bought me this.” 

It was second hand, nothing special. She had gotten it at a garage sale for their first anniversary. He’s taken good care of it, giving it a makeover as the years went on, though Shannon stopped caring for it over time. Then again, she stopped caring about him too it seemed. 

“You know, I never got to be a big rockstar but there was one thing I always wanted to do,” He confessed, pulling the guitar from his shoulder. He held it by the neck, looking over that beautiful Gibson J-35. It had been with him through so much over the years and yet with each stroke of the strings, all he could think of was that girl sitting in the front row, ready to take her top off if it meant sleeping with the lead singer. 

With one hard swing, Johnny smashed the guitar down on the coffee table, shattering the wooden pieces and tossing them across the room. Daniel sat frozen, leaving Johnny panting as he held the feeble instrument. 

“What do you think?” He asked after a moment passed. “Pretty badass, huh?”

“I think you’re losing your mind,” Daniel muttered, gesturing towards Johnny vaguely. “However, I also like to think of this as some sort of personal therapy, so reap all the benefits, I guess.” 

Planning became a lot easier after that, as they continued to wind down, down, down. Daniel was there with Amanda and Daniel’s mom when he picked out his suit, something even he wasn’t sure he should have been there for. Rather than going with the traditional black tux that most men went with, he was leaning more towards blue, something that would bring out his natural skin tone and eye color. 

Johnny had wanted to wear the reverse of the tradition, with a black shirt and white jacket, but Shannon pitched a fit, saying that it would be stealing her all-white thunder. 

Food, flowers, the overall design. Everything had been completed, leading them to focus on one thing and one thing only. They went through the guest list, which mostly included Chozen’s family as well as Daniel’s own. Every living relative was coming to see him get married, much to the chagrin of Daniel who had always hoped for a more intimate setting. 

“It’s not that I don’t want my great aunt Tulah there, but flying family from Sicily just seems a bit much,” Daniel mentioned as he hunched over the table, trying to get the seating chart together one more time. “Why can’t people just sit wherever they want? People will be up and dancing anyway.”

“Organization is important, Daniel.” Amanda insisted, gesturing to the list. “Look how many people there are. What if nobody can find a seat or if they accidentally steal someone else's?” 

“Why does it matter?”

“Everything matters at a wedding,” Johnny reminded him. 

Amanda reached over, taking the chart from the table, closing it up carefully. “Look, I’ll handle this. You just focus on saying “I Do” and giving Chozen that sloppy kiss he wants.”

Johnny looked between the two of them, raising a brow in question. “Sloopy?” He mimicked. 

Daniel groaned, sending a small glare over to Amanda. “I was telling her that you can’t have tongue in your first kiss as a married couple,” 

“Why? It’s just a kiss!” Amanda proclaimed. 

“My family is going to be there! I don’t want to be frenching in front of God and everybody else.” Daniel proclaimed. “We need to have something like . . . church tongue or something.” 

Amanda barked with laughter, staring at the dark-haired man like a crazy person. “What the hell is  _ church tongue _ ?” 

Daniel faltered, gesturing vaguely with his hand. “I can’t explain it, but it’s good!” 

“Oh no, you’re not getting out of this. I want to know exactly what it is you have in mind.” Daniel blinked, shifting where he stood before moving in closer to Amanda, who was quick to shove him away. “What, no! Not on me. Gross, Daniel.” She paused, her eyes landing on Johnny. “Do it to him.”

Both Daniel and Johnny froze, sharing a glance briefly. “What?” They asked in unison. 

“Show me on Johnny.” She started easily. “It’s just a kiss. Johnny, you don’t mind right?” 

Johnny opened his mouth, unable to fully answer her. What the fuck was a guy supposed to do in this situation. 

“How else am I supposed to know what he is talking about?” Amanda demanded. 

“Only if you’re okay with it,” Daniel said carefully. 

Once again, Johnny was speechless, choosing to shrug instead as he wasn’t really prepared for this type of suggestion. He stood there, unsure of how Daniel wanted him since this was his kiss after all. He chose to lose his eyes, letting Daniel lead the way. He could feel Daniel’s hands on his face, tilting his head just so, and the warm breath coming from Daniel’s mouth as he leaned in close.

And then it happened. Daniel’s lips were on his own. Gentle, soft, and sweet. Johnny let his hand fall to Daniel’s arm, holding him briefly as the kiss continued. It wasn’t risque in the least and while he did feel a hint of tongue slipping along his bottom lip, it certainly wasn’t something that would have them exiled by the clergy. 

He opened his eyes as Daniel pulled away, the other man watched him intensely. Amanda was starring, an impressed gaze shimmering in her eyes. The door opened then, and Johnny was quick to pull away just as Chozen entered the room. 

“Oh. Still planning? I can go,” He claimed, already halfway out the door. 

“Oh! We’re finished,” Daniel swore, going to take his hand and tug him back in. 

Chozen looked around the room, his head cocking as he looked over Johnny, whose cheeks were flushed red and eyes still wide from a realization that had yet to fully hit him. “What’s wrong with this one?” 

“Johnny? Oh, nothing.” Daniel laughed quietly. 

“We kissed.” Johnny blurted out. “It was small. Nothing bad.”

“Who kissed?” Chozen questioned.

And rather than digging into the whole situation with church tongue and kissing in front of God, Amanda stepped up and took Johnny’s hand in her own. “Me! He kissed me.” 

And Chozen, for better or worse, just laughed. “Who hasn’t?” He asked casually. “Hey Johnny Boy, are you coming to the club with us tonight?”

“Club?”

“One last hurrah for these two before Daniel becomes a married man,” Chozen explained, breaking away from Daniel so he could get a beer from the fridge. 

“You’re not having a bachelor party?” 

Daniel shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “It’s not really my thing. Chozen is having one in a few days, but Amanda and I thought it would be fun to just go out, you know?”

“You should come along. Keep Amanda company so she doesn’t go home with some rando again,” 

Amanda flipped Chozen off, though Johnny paid them no mind. He focused on Daniel, who was watching as Chozen stood off in the kitchen, drinking alone rather than standing there with them.

“Yeah, all right.” He decided. 

He took the info from Amanda, promising to meet up with them later that night. When he got home, he showered, watching as Miguel practiced his song on a guitar Carmen had rented from the music store since Johnny went and destroyed his own. Rosa’s birthday party was coming up quickly and the boy was still determined to play for her. 

“You’re all dressed up. Do you have work?” Carmen asked as Johnny made his way up the stairs. 

He had combed his hair out, styling it nicely since he had mostly just pulled it back in a ponytail as of lately. He dressed a bit diner, going with a button-down rather than a band tee and comfortable slacks rather than his usual jeans. 

“Daniel invited me out,” He explained, his eyes narrowing in confusion as a smile spread across her face. “What?” 

Carmen shook her head, tossing her hands up. “I’m not saying a thing.” 

“We’re just hanging out. He’s not having a bachelor party,” 

She had the same knowing glimmer in her eyes when he had first told her he was going to propose to Shannon. This all-seeing eye type looks to her drove Johnny crazy because it just didn’t make sense how she always knew something he didn’t. “Just . . . be careful, Johnny.” 

Johnny looked around, missing whatever sign was hanging above his head. “What? I’m driving, I’m not going to drink.” 

Carmen hummed, leaving the room to go back to the kitchen. Johnny shook his head, leaving for the night, double-checking he had his house key before getting into the car. He had been to the club once before, years ago after Carmen had graduated from med school. They had gotten super drunk and partied the night away. It was fun, but it seemed so long ago now. 

They sat on the balcony, overlooking the whole scene. The music was loud, the lights were flashing, and the place was crowded enough to be making one hell of a business on drinks alone. Amanda was sitting close to Johnny, keeping up with the whole idea of them being a thing since Johnny had to blurt out about Daniel’s little practice. 

“So are you going to pick up more shifts when you get back from the honeymoon?” Amanda asked Daniel curiously. 

“I want to, though Chozen has been pushing me to quit,” Daniel revealed. 

Chozen rolled his eyes, nursing his drink slowly. “Sorry I don’t think you should work. I make enough money for you to stay at home, don’t I?”

“I’ll get bored. Wouldn’t you get bored just staying home all day?” 

“He’s a good waiter. You should see him attack customers with a tray,” Johnny teased, earning a middle finger from across the table. 

“I just want to give Daniel the life he deserves. One filled with fun, relaxation, and a one-way ticket to the mile high club once we leave for our honeymoon.” Chozen said that shit-eating grin wide on his face.

“What is the mile high club?” Daniel asked him, earning a groan from his fiance. 

“I’m going to get us a bottle,” Chozen decided, pushing up from the table and heading down away from the bar. 

Daniel shifted slightly once he was gone, turning back to face Johnny once Chozen was out of ear range. “I hope you don’t mind. We told him you’re on a date with Amanda.” 

“It’s fine,” Johnny reassured him.

Amanda lifted her hand then, touching his hair gently. “We do look cute together.” She noted. “That kiss was pretty impressive, you know. Makes me wonder if you’ve ever kissed another guy before.” 

“I have,” Johnny revealed easily, causing the other two to do a double-take. “I’m bisexual. I never told you that?” 

Amanda blinked, trying to shake the image out of her head. “Wait, I thought you and Shannon were like, high school sweethearts.” 

“Huh? Oh no. We’ve been together a while, but I’ve been with others before her.”

“You’re into guys?” Daniel practically shouted over the music. 

Johnny blushed, bobbing his head. “I’m into people.” He confessed, moving closer to Amanda as Chozen returned. 

He placed the bottle in front of them all, and began talking about how expensive it is all while Daniel poured himself a glass, chugging it down faster than Johnny had ever seen before. Daniel had always told him he wasn’t a strong drinker, with a weak stomach and loose lips. Now, however, Daniel was pushing back to drinks, literally drinking away the money that Chozen spent on the fancy bottle. 

“Oooh, it’s Bowie!” Amanda cried out as a new song came on.

Chozen smirked, elbowing Daniel’s side playfully. “It's your favorite song.”

Daniel rolled his eyes playfully. “This is not my favorite song,” He swore. 

“Yes it is. You played it twice in the car the other day.” Chozen reminded him. “Hey Amanda, who sings this song?” He asked, interrupting her singing. 

“David Bowie,” She answered obviously. 

“Let’s keep it that way,” He replied, earning a scoff from the woman across the way. 

Amanda was in the middle of asking Johnny a question when “Vacation” by the Go-Gos came on over the loudspeaker, causing Daniel to gasp with excitement. “All right. That’s it. We have to hit the dance floor.”

Chozen shook his head, shrugging Daniel off of him. “I’ll pass.”

“Oh come on! Please?”

“I’m wearing new shoes, Daniel,” Chozen stated, leering over to Johnny across the way. “Take John with you. I’m sure he’s a good partner.”

Daniel turned his head to Johnny, his lips pouting deeply from across the table. “Dance with me?” He asked. 

Johnny wondered how Chozen could ever deny the man a thing when he looked the way he did, with the giant saucer eyes and sad lips. With a small nod he stood, letting the dark-haired man pull him away and lead him onto the dance floor down below. He bobbed his head, letting Daniel lead him down onto the dance floor.

Johnny had performed this very song at countless birthday and graduation parties. It was a fun little diddy with a beautiful message about wanting someone you shouldn’t and it seemed to be a favorite of Daniel’s.

He had never seen the guy so carefree before though Johnny blamed that on the alcohol surging through his body. Danie danced throughout the whole song, giving Johnny a run for his money since Johnny himself was a pretty good dancer if he could say so. 

He kept Johnny on the floor for six more songs before Amanda came to take his place, giving Johnny the chance to sit back down and breathe. Chozen was looking over the balcony, surveying the crowd before glancing back to the waiters waiting around in the skimpy outfits.

He knew guys like Chozen before, who thought they were slick and always wanted to check someone out when nobody was looking. Johnny took a slow sip of his drink, deciding to see how far this would go.

“That’s somebody, am I right?” Johnny asked, gesturing to the waiter currently leaning over the table to help another patron. “Those days are long gone huh?”

“Cold Hearted” by Paula Abdul was playing on the club, and Chozen was bobbing his head along to it as he glanced back at Johnny. “Speak for yourself,”

Johnny paused, narrowing his eyes. “Ten years ago maybe.”

“Try ten days ago,” Chozen smirked, glancing back at the waiter.

“As hot as that?”

“Hotter,” he revealed. “And younger.”

Johnny's throat went dry and he had to fight back to urge to clench his hands into a fist under the table. “How do you do it, man? Without getting caught?”

Chozen looked around then, leaning in closer to Johnny before speaking. “Daniel has been so preoccupied with the wedding. He has too much to worry about.”

Johnny knew far too many people like Chozen. People who didn’t care about who they hurt so long as they got something out of it. His stepdad was one of them. Shannon was too. And now this piece of garbage right in front of him. 

“I guess it’s ending soon though right? With the wedding next week?”

Chozen just laughed, turning his head to meet the gaze of the waiter. “I work long hours,” he admitted, winking at the young man. “Far off in the city. Anything can happen.”

Johnny looked away then, his eyes casting down to the dance floor. Daniel and Amanda were nowhere in sight, causing a surge of worry to rush up his spine. It wasn’t until Amanda came rushing back to the table did Johnny finally calm himself.

“Hey, Daniel got sick on the dance floor and he’s been in the bathroom ever since.”

Chozen sighed tiredly, tossing down the drinking straw he had been gnawing on. 

“They won’t let me in to go get him,” 

“I’ll grab my car. John, be a dear and grab the sweet prince?”

Not having much of a choice, Johnny followed Amanda down through the crowd and into the men’s bathroom, which smelt of sweat and other unpleasant things. He checked each stall before finally coming upon Daniel, who was on his knees, recovering from his bout of alcohol-induced puking.

“Hey,” Johnny said gingerly, his hand running up and down his back slowly. “You’re okay,”

“I threw up,” Daniel told him quietly.

“I know. You'll be alright. Can you stand?”

Johnny pulled as Dan stood on wobbly feet. He pulled him out of the stall and over to the sink, helping him lean down so he could wash off his face and clean out his mouth. 

He tugged him back through the crowd, keeping an arm around Daniel as they made their way out. Daniel gasps softly, his feet digging into the floor to stop his walking.

“It’s Cyndi,” he proclaimed, watching Johnny with those bright, shining eyes. “You love Cyndi.” 

Johnny bit his tongue to keep him from smiling. He has mentioned his own personal love of Cyndi Lauper while in passing a few weeks back, having not expected Daniel to actually remember it. This song, in particular, was Johnny’s favorite, however, now wasn’t the time to discuss that. 

“I do. Come on,” 

“Sing it,” Daniel requested. “It’s what you do. And you do it so so well,”

“Another time, Danny. They’re waiting.”

Johnny expected Daniel to pout or even throw a tantrum. Instead, he smiled even wider, moving in closer to Johnny, which seemed impossible since he was already depending on Johnny to hold him up.

“I’ll sing to you then,” he decided, shimming his shoulders as the chorus picked up. 

_ “ _ _ We have no past, we won't reach back. Keep me forward, all through the night.”  _

“Danny, come on.” Johnny cut in, attempting to pull him through the crowd. Daniel kept up the singing, leaning on Johnny to keep himself stable as they left the club. 

Chozen was outside waiting, that fancy sports car that he had been showing off since Johnny first met him looking fresh and clean, perfect for the wedding when they drove off into the sunset. Amanda opened the door for him, allowing Johnny to help Daniel into the car. The dark-haired man was no longer singing, instead looking stoic and a little bit green. 

“Do not puke in the car, swallow it if you have to,” Chozen muttered before Amanda slammed the door, letting the two drive off to Chozen’s place. 

Johnny stood back, watching as they drove out of sight, the music echoing almost hauntingly behind him. 

“Do you want to go back inside?” Amanda asked, receiving a shake of the head in response. 

“Come on. I’ll drive you home,” He muttered in defeat, leading Amanda through the parking lot. 

Johnny knew the way to her apartment well enough since she and Daniel still lived together, though he knew that wouldn’t be for long. Daniel had been bugging Chozen to give up his penthouse in the city since they could buy a house to share. The guy wasn’t too keen on it, especially since he already had a small apartment in the area that he was hoping to sell and Daniel would move into the penthouse with him. 

He was sure Daniel would give in, at least until the two decided to have kids, which meant seeing Daniel so often would come to a stop. It wasn’t something Johnny liked thinking about. 

“Thank you for the ride home,” Amanda mentioned as Johnny walked her to her door. It was the polite thing to do, with how late into the night it was. “Sorry Daniel got all pukey on you.”

“Does he do that often? I thought he wasn’t a drinker,” 

Amanda shrugged it off, fumbling with her key ring. “I think he’s just nervous about the wedding,” She explained. “Do you wanna come inside? We could hang out. Daniel’s staying with Chozen tonight.” 

Johnny shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “Does he do that a lot? Stay at his place?” 

“I mean yeah,” Amanda mentioned, pushing the apartment door open. She looked back to say something, but Johnny wasn’t paying any attention to her. 

All he could think of was Daniel being sick out of his mind at Chozen’s apartment. Was the other guy taking care of him? Rubbing his back when he puked, brushing his hair from his face? Or was he taking advantage of Daniel in such a terrible state? Or was he ignoring him completely, letting Daniel suffer alone while he worried about his next young piece of ass he’d be getting?

When he finally came to his senses, Johnny found Amanda staring at him, her expression somber, maybe even sad. “Oh, honey,” 

“What?” Johnny asked. 

“I can’t believe I never noticed it before.” 

Johnny looked around himself curiously. “Noticed what?” 

“You got a thing for Daniel,” She said. 

It wasn’t a question, but a statement. 

The blond blinked, unsure of how to answer. He tried, blubbering out every excuse in the book. He was just worried, they were just friends, but none of it mattered to Amanda, who just placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. 

“It’s okay, Johnny.” She muttered quietly. “I get it. Daniel is an amazing guy, it’s hard not to like him.” 

“I think Daniel is an amazing guy, but that doesn’t mean I feel . . . look, I just think that Chozen is a bit of an asshole, okay?” 

It was an understatement, of course, but Johnny wasn’t in the right place to be making comments like these. He barely knew Chozen and while the bit he did know wasn’t exactly ideal, he was sure there was another side to him. If Daniel liked him -- loved him -- then there had to be right?

“He and Chozen are together for a reason, you know that right?” 

“Yeah. Chozen is his true love, right?” Johnny scoffed, receiving an eye roll from Amanda. 

“Be serious,” She requested. 

Johnny scoffed, raising a brow to the woman. “What, the money thing?” He questioned. “I know that’s important to some people, but I’d like to give Daniel a bit of credit,” 

“Johnny,” Amanda said, using the same tone his mother used to do when he had done something bad in the presence of his step-father. The careful tip-toeing around the real issue. “It’s not important to some people, it’s important to  _ all  _ people.” 

“Silly me for thinking people cared about other things,” Johnny muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets as he turned around.

Amanda called out to him, though Johnny just ignored it and continued walking down the trail until he could get back into his car and go home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you all think? Worth the adaptation? I know it's all kind of out of character, but as far as outrageous AU's go, I think it's pretty good. What about you?
> 
> ALSO! I'm sorry I made Chozen the villain again. Honestly, he and Kumiko were my favorite parts of season 3 so I will never forgive myself for making him evil for the second time.


	6. You're My Best Friend - Queen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is super short, so I won't make you wait until Wednesday! I'll upload this now and then the next chapter on Sunday!

Daniel didn’t drink often and for good reason. He tended to go too hard, too fast, and he had a weak stomach that usually led to him puking his lungs out by the end of the night. He didn’t remember much from the night before, but he was fairly certain from the bad taste in his mouth he woke up with that his ill-stomached tradition carried on. 

Chozen woke him home after that, reminding Daniel that he would see him the following day since Chozen had his bachelor party that night. Daniel had tried to suggest they go out together, but Chozen wanted one last night of boyhood with his friends, something Daniel couldn’t argue with. 

Getting out of the car without a kiss goodbye (because Chozen hates kissing him if he hadn’t brushed his teeth), Daniel made his way into the apartment, groaning at the loud music Amanda was blasting from the radio in the kitchen. 

“Hey! There you are, sleeping beauty. Did you have fun last night?” 

“I feel terrible,” Daniel admitted, going to crumble at the kitchen table. The hangover was strong for him and he just wanted some peace. “Please tell me I didn’t do anything too stupid last night?” 

“You mean other than run off to puke in the bathroom? No, we all had fun.” Amanda told him, pausing as she turned off the oven. “Well, almost all of us.” 

Daniel lifted his head, watching her curiously. Amanda grabbed the coffee pot, pouring a full cup for Daniel to nurse on. “What do you mean?” 

“Johnny doesn’t think too highly of Chozen,” Amanda confessed. “He called him an asshole.”

“Oh god. Did they get into a fight?” Daniel asked, knowing how much Chozen liked to show off his fighting skills. 

They had met because of it, with Chozen having been a special guest at the YMCA that both Amanda and Daniel went to. He caught self-defense and had been Daniel’s tutor for a short while before he got the job in the city. It had been a wonderful beginning that left Daniel feeling eager and excited, though that was a very long time ago. 

“Oh no. Don’t worry, he didn’t say it to his face. But it’s crystal clear that he isn’t a big fan of him.” 

“Is it bad that I kind of saw that coming?” Daniel questioned, sipping slowly on his coffee.

“He didn’t seem to understand why you were with Chozen in the first place, but I explained it all to him.” 

“Oh. Okay,” Daniel muttered, pausing as he lifted his mug to take another sip. “Explained it all how?” 

Amanda sat down across from Daniel, shrugging gently. “Just that you love him and he makes you happy. And that having a husband with a good job is what everybody wants.” 

“You told Johnny that’s why I am marrying Chozen? Because of the money?”

It wasn’t the first time Daniel had heard such a thing. When he had told his family back in Jersey that he was marrying a guy who worked in the city, everybody was bickering over who would be moving in with him once they bought a big mansion on the hills. Daniel hadn’t grown up with the money, so he never saw the appeal of it unlike Chozen and even Amanda, who both had so much handed to them over the years. 

The one person Daniel had been able to relate to was Johnny, who shared the same outlook on life as himself. Money didn’t buy happiness, even if it could buy you things that would make you happy, even if just for a moment. 

Daniel had no idea that Johnny and he were so alike, including the fact that he was particularly fond of men, like Daniel himself. It was one of the few shining moments of the previous night that lingered on inside of Daniel, starting a fire under his belly as he thought about it. 

“That’s not why I am marrying him,” Daniel stated boldly, earning a grimacing look from his best friend.

“Then why are you?” She asked quietly. 

Daniel never answered her, instead choosing to go off to his bedroom and mull over the entire conversation. He was off from work for the day and relaxed around the apartment until his headache wore off. Daniel left the apartment in the late afternoon, heading into town so he could buy a centerpiece for the table at the wedding. 

Chozen had mentioned wanting a very specific piece and Daniel caught sight of one at a thrift store along Main. It was a crane, glass, and vintage that looked a little bit ridiculous, but beautiful nonetheless. He was sure Chozen would be happy with it, most likely spending the entire night catching his reflection in the glass.

Daniel was about to purchase it, money in hand when he caught a familiar piece hanging on the wall behind the register. Rarely did he find anybody else who knew about the great guitar player  Mister Miyagi, who had been one of Daniel’s many idols over the years. The guy was a genius, not only writing some of the best songs in the world but also creating one of the best instruments. 

Each guitar he made was unique and gorgeous, including the one hanging on the wall. Daniel had to see it, asking the clerking for a quick check. He didn’t play, so he wasn’t sure if it was well-tuned, but the clerk assured him it would play just fine. 

“How much?” Daniel inquired, his fingers casting over the intricate design the guitar face held. 

“For a Miyagi original? Normally I’d say five hundred, but since it’s second hand, I can knock it down to three,” 

“ _ Three hundred bucks _ ?” Daniel spat, looking up from the guitar.

He had been saving up for the longest time, hoping to use the money he had from his waiting job to buy Chozen something he’d really appreciate. The crane was about a hundred and fifty on its own and Daniel only had a little over three. The thrift store was as pricey as could be, but they sold quality shit. 

A decision had to be made, one that Daniel knew he wouldn’t be able to go back on once the day was through. 

Sighing, Daniel put the guitar down and pulled out his wallet. 


	7. I Can't Make You Love Me - Bonnie Raitt

Johnny would have liked to say he was one in a million and maybe in some strange way about it, he was. Unlike so many other people around him, he didn’t care about money, or security, or a big house. He shared a small shack of a home with his best friend from high school and worked tirelessly as a stage performer for a party venue. He drove an old fashioned car that was more of an eyesore than anything, but it was his. Something he bought by himself, for himself, without the help of a big, fancy job or step-daddy’s money. 

But none of that seemed to matter anymore. Nobody cared about just wanting to make people happy by singing silly love songs or being a good friend. People wanted big houses and security. Shannon did. Amanda did. And now it seemed Daniel did too. If he’d willingly put up with a dick head like Chozen just for the sake of being comfortable the rest of his life, then so be it. 

Johnny had been around people like that nearly his entire life. All the girls and guys he had involved himself with while he was living upon the hills with Sid, trying to make the best of a bad situation until his mom finally had enough. Johnny used to believe the best thing they had ever done was run away from that yuppie lifestyle, but now he wished they had sucked up the abuse. Maybe Johnny would have been better prepared for the real world if they had. 

After canceling his guitar lessons with Miguel, Johnny went out and decided to try and get a real job. One that required a suit and tie, and would make him a salary, rather than just a bi-weekly paycheck. It was harder than it looked, especially since Johnny didn’t know the first thing about working at a bank or even anything the city offered. 

“Do you have any special skills that might help in this field?” The manager asked him. 

Johnny shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to piece together what to possibly say. “Well, I used to do karate when I was a kid?” He offered lamely. 

“Seeing as our slogan isn’t ‘we kick the competition’ I don’t really believe that would be useful to the company.” The man admitted. 

Johnny wasn’t left with many options. He knew there would be a lot to do when it came to getting an actual job and while he should have started small, he wanted to do something realistic and useful. He wanted to show the world that Johnny Lawrence wasn’t some loser who was perfectly fine with just skidding by. 

Of course, the world didn’t really care about all that. The three banks that Johnny applied to all threw the book at him, rattling off endless reasons as to why he wasn’t worth hiring. He needed more experience, more training. How the hell was he supposed to get any of that shit if nobody hired him? 

The day was long and hard and the only thing he wanted to do was admit defeat and go to bed, but instead, he found Daniel sitting on his stoop, waiting for him. 

“Hey. What are you doing here?” 

“You have guitar lessons,” Daniel stated, gesturing back to the house. 

“I busted my guitar, remember? Besides, I had a job interview.” 

“You’re quitting the venue?” He asked. Johnny shrugged since he didn’t leave just yet. Not until he found something better. “It won’t be the same without you.” 

“Well, I’m tired of being a loser, doing losers' work,” Johnny answered, moving past him so he could go into the house. 

Daniel pushed off the stoop, turning to face him. “Since when is working at the venue losers work?” He demanded. “I work there. So do Amanda and Jess. Are we losers too?” 

“Not like you’re going to work there much longer,” Johnny pointed out. “That rich husband of yours will make sure you never have to work a day in your life again.” 

“Just because Chozen wants me to quit doesn’t mean I will.” 

“Why wouldn’t you? You have a guy giving you everything you could ask for, why the hell would you want to slum it with the rest of us.” 

“ _ Slum it _ ?” Daniel repeated. “Johnny, what has gotten into you?” 

“Nothing. I just finally woke up is all. Finally saw the light.” 

“Who are you, Todd Rundgren?” Daniel scoffed. 

Johnny narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to Daniel then. “Look, I get it. Amanda told me all about you and Chozen.” 

“And what did she say exactly?” 

“Why you were marrying him.” He answered. “My mom did it too, you know. My step-dad was a shitty guy, but she needed someone to take care of us. It wasn’t perfect, but that’s exactly what he did. She put up with the cheating and the name-calling all for the sake of having a big house and thick credit card to swipe whenever she wanted to.” 

“You think that’s why I’m marrying Chozen? For the money?” 

“Chozen is the one you’ve  _ chosen _ . Might as well own up to it. What other reason could it be?” 

He expected Daniel to give him a laundry list of answers, telling him how much he loved Chozen and how they belonged together, but instead, he just shook his head and walked off. 

“Screw you, Johnny!” He shouted over his shoulder as he stormed back to his car. Johnny watched as he walked away, only noticing the guitar sitting on the stoop with the big red bow on it after Daniel had left. Johnny didn’t have to look over it long to see it was a Miyagi original. He had found out rather quickly that Daniel was a big fan of the guy and it had been a bonding moment for them each as they went over the songs the man had written and the instruments that he had produced over the past few years. 

Johnny ran his fingers over the guitar, swearing under his breath as he made his way back into the house. He refused to sulk at home for very long, however, calling up Jessica so they could meet at the bar in town, hoping to drown his sorrows with whatever alcohol they could both afford. 

“I Want To Know What Love Is” was playing in the background, making the whole scene a little more pathetic if that was even possible. 

He poured his heart to the redhead, confessing his feelings for Daniel and the gift he had brought for him. “I swore I’d never play again and what does he do -- he goes and buys me a Miyagi. Do you understand the amount of effort he probably had to do to find one of those? Who does that type of thing for somebody?” 

“Somebody that cares, obviously.” Jessica pointed out, nursing her glass slowly. “Johnny, why don’t you tell him how you feel?” 

“And ruin his marriage? It’s not my place, Jess.” 

“You already said he admitted to cheating. You’d be saving him from a lifetime of unhappiness. You’re more selfish by not telling him.”

Johnny paused, groaning as the words hit him. “I didn’t think I was selfish, to begin with, but now I certainly do.” He muttered, shooting back the rest of his drink. He gestured to the bartender, asking for another round. “I’m done, Jess. From now on, no more relationships. I’m just gonna find somebody pretty, have my fun, and then send them packing.” 

“Johnny, that isn’t you.” Jessica insisted. “You wear your heart on your sleeve.” 

“Well, I’m going sleeveless from now on,” Johnny swore. “Tank tops only! I’m done being a loser, Jess.” 

“Johnny,” Jessica sighed, shaking her head slowly. “I know it’s hard to believe, but wanting someone to hold you and tell you that everything is going to be alright doesn’t make you a loser.” 

“Certainly doesn’t make me a winner,” Johnny grumbled.

“For all you know, Daniel feels the same, but right now, he thinks you hate him. He thinks you think he is some kind of gold-digger and that can’t be any further from the truth.” 

“What am I supposed to do? Just tell him that I love him and that he shouldn’t be marrying that prick?” Johnny asked. 

And Jessica, the sweet thing, just stared at him. “Yes!” She practically shouted. “Johnny, as much as I adore seeing you play the king of wishful thinking, we both know that this badass, bad boy isn’t who you really are.”

“Then who am I, Jessica?” 

“You’re a hopeful romantic who deserves the world. Now come on,” Going into her purse, she slapped a ten on the bar, paying for both their drinks before pulling him by the arm and out of the car. Jessica had always been a risk-taker, deciding that life was far too short to not go after what you wanted. 

She shoved Johnny into the car and drove him to the apartment complex, parking directly out front. “Go, Johnny.” She ordered. “We’re not leaving until you tell him.” 

“This will ruin everything, Jess.” He pointed out. 

Jessica just shrugged. “Or it could be the start of something new,” She suggested. 

Johnny thought about making a run for it, but he knew it was pointless. Daniel already disliked him for all it was worth, so really, what did he have to lose? 

REO Speedwagon came on the radio then and Johnny was suddenly hit with a surge of adrenalin. Pushing out of the car, Johnny walked up the trail and towards the apartment, going to knock on the door. He was speaking carefully to himself, trying to rehearse what he was going to say when the door opened. 

It was a woman he had never seen before, though he knew enough to piece together that it was Daniel’s mother. “Hi, Mrs. Larusso. Is Daniel here?” 

“He is. And you are?” 

“I’m Johnny,” He began carefully. 

The woman smiled brightly, opening the door a bit wider. “Oh! You’re helping him with the wedding. Please, come in.” Johnny entered the apartment, looking around for any sign of the brunet. “Daniel will be right out. He’s trying on his tux one final time.” She explained, going to answer the phone as it rang. 

Johnny moved deeper into the apartment, heading towards Daniel’s bedroom. He thought about just going inside, not caring if he was trying his tux. If Johnny had it his way, Daniel wouldn’t even have to wear it anymore. He could hear Daniel speaking inside, wondering if he was with Amanda or talking on the phone. 

As he pressed his ear to the door, he listened to the conversation, realizing that Daniel was rehearsing something, repeating it over and over again. And as Johnny continued to listen, he realized he was working on introducing himself as a married man. He was laughing, his voice so light and happy. He pulled away after that, stepping back from the door as if it had burnt him.

“Johnny?” The blond turned to see Amanda entering the hallway, but he didn’t say to talk or explain. 

“You never saw me,” He muttered as he hurried out of the apartment, leaving Daniel in the dust as he ran off back to Jessica’s car. 

“Why are you back so soon? What happened?” 

Johnny shook his head, breathing deeply through his nose. “I can’t do it.” He confessed. “I overheard him rehearsing his speech, Jess. He’s so fucking happy. I can’t take that from him.” 

“Johnny.” She sighed quietly. 

“Take me to the bar, Jess.” He requested. “Either take me there or I’ll walk.” 

He needed a drink. Needed to get away from the apartment, away from Daniel and this whole mess that they had created. Jessica gave in, reluctantly bringing him back to the bar so he could drink away his sorrows. Johnny didn’t get drunk often, having far too many memories of his stepdad smelling like scotch and slapping him around, but tonight was different. Tonight, he was tired, and heartbroken, and just wanted to feel nothing at all. 

So he drank the night away, resulting in Jessica dragging him to the back alley so he could puke his lungs out. She slapped his back repeatedly, making sure it was all out of his system before cutting through the lane so they could go back to the parking lot. 

Johnny wound up stumbling into a group heading down the street, fumbling back into Jessica as a result. “Hey!” She shouted, causing the group to stop their walking. “Assholes!” 

“Hey! It’s the wedding singer!” One of them called out. Johnny was sober enough to recognize the voice and looked up to see Chozen in the middle of the group, his arms around two young, handsome men. “We’re heading in for a pre-party party. Care to join us?” 

“Fuck you, man.” Johnny slurred, pushing himself up off Jessica. “Daniel’s a great guy. He doesn’t deserve some shit bird like you using him.” 

Chozen laughed aloud, releasing the two guys he had wrapped up in his embrace as he approached Johnny. “You’re so pathetic it’s almost sweet,” He murmured. “Daniel is getting everything he wants from me. And I get all I need from him. Maybe one day, when you find someone to settle for you who won’t leave you at the altar, you’ll understand.” 

Johnny moved forward, ready to pin the asshole to the ground, but his movements were lagging due to his alcohol intake, allowing Chozen to get the best of him. He twisted him around easily, elbowing Johnny in the stomach until he was doubled over, and then ended it with a knee to the head, sending Johnny flying onto the pavement.

The crowd that had been surrounding Chozen erupted into laughter and despite the pain in his head and the twisting of his stomach, Johnny kept his eyes open to watch Chozen coming to stand over him. 

“You’re a loser, wedding singer. Might as well get used to it.” He suggested, stepping over his body to take his leave. 

Johnny pushed himself up once they were gone, pulling his arm from Jessica’s hold as she tried to help him up. He took off down the street, deciding to walk home for the night, despite the pain surging through him, he carried on, stumbling onto the lawn of the house as he turned the corner. 

He felt someone pull him up to his feet this time, the familiar smell of Escada perfume filling his nostrils, though Johnny was too drunk to process it as he was led back into the house. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the latest chapter! Thank you all so much for the response. It's been a rough week and each comment made me feel a little less alone in this wildly cold world.


	8. I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner

Daniel was pacing in the kitchen, trying to gather every single thought he had running through his head. It didn’t make sense to him why Johnny would drop by without saying anything to him. Sure, they had their spat, but that didn’t mean Daniel didn’t want to speak to him.

“Why would he come all the way inside only to run off?” He demanded in the early morning. He had been thinking about it since last night and when he called to speak to Johnny, Carmen explained that he had gone out and probably wouldn’t be coming home until late. 

“I don’t know, Daniel. He seemed a little off when I saw him.” Amanda revealed. 

“Did he seem drunk?” Daniel asked, wondering if the bastard came by after having one too many beers. 

“No. He was just standing in front of your door, listening to you talk to yourself.” 

“Talk to me?” Daniel mimicked, turning around to face her. 

And then it hit him. The rehearsing he had done in the mirror. Daniel had been trying to introduce himself as Chozen’s husband, introducing himself as Daniel Toguchi. He had done it repeatedly, only to come up feeling empty. And then, in a sad, almost pathetic attempt, he introduced himself as Mr. Lawrence. It shocked him how well his name had flowed with Johnny’s. 

How well their names worked together. 

John and Daniel Lawrence. Mr. and Mr. Lawrence. 

Johnny and Danny. Or maybe even Larusso. Chozen had been against taking Daniel’s last name, something the latter didn’t mind, but he liked having the option. And he liked the way Johnny Larusso sounded and rolled off his tongue. 

“God, he must think I am a psychopath.” Daniel groaned, hanging his head in his arms. 

“Daniel, if Johnny had heard you calling yourself by his last name, I don’t think he would have a runoff,” Amanda told him carefully. 

Daniel raised a brow, pulling his hands away to look at her. “Why not?” 

Amanda looked between Daniel and then Daniel’s mother Lucille, who was sitting across from them at the table, listening in on all the drama that her son’s life was apparently full of. She sighed, going to cross her arms tightly over her chest.

“I might know something,” She admitted. 

“Know what?” Daniel asked. “What do you know, Amanda?” 

“He didn’t say it exactly, but I could see it in his eyes when he was thinking about you and Chozen,” Amanda stated. 

“See  _ what _ ?” He asked, going to sit across from her at the table. 

“The boy likes you, Daniel,” Lucille mentioned. “And from what I’ve heard from the way you speak about him, you like him too.” 

“Of course I like him, ma. Johnny is my friend. He helped plan the wedding.” 

Both Lucille and Amanda shared a glance, causing Daniel to go dizzy going back and forth between the two of them. 

“I’m pretty sure you  _ like _ -like him, Daniel,” Amanda explained. 

“I’m not fifteen, Amanda.” Daniel scoffed, though he didn’t deny it. 

There were things about Daniel that Chozen would never be comfortable with or never really want to know. He didn’t like that Daniel enjoyed working as a waiter and despite being together for four years, he still couldn’t name Daniel’s favorite song. Chozen was a good boyfriend, but Daniel had slowly begun to realize that their union came to be because they were both there. They weren’t getting any younger and had Daniel not pushed for the engagement, he wasn’t sure it would have ever come. 

Daniel had gotten so used to waiting around that he forgot what it felt like to have something good presented to him directly. That was until Johnny showed up in his life. It wasn’t planned and it wasn’t expected, but Daniel had been a lot happier in the days since he'd known Johnny than whatever life he was living before. 

“Honey,” Lucille spoke carefully. Daniel looked up when he felt the woman touch his hand. “Be honest with us. Do you love Chozen?” She asked quietly. 

Daniel was silent, his mouth opening as he tried to process the words. “I thought I did. Or at least I used to. Or maybe I didn’t know what love was until someone else came along.” 

“You know I only want what is best for you, right? Marrying Chozen would give you a life neither your father nor I could ever give you. But if you aren’t going to be happy, I don’t want you to go through with it.” 

“Johnny isn’t rich, ma. And he’s never going to be. But he’s a good man.” 

“And he makes you happy?” Daniel bobbed his head, a quiet laugh escaping his lips as the realization came over him. “Then I think you have a decision you have to make.” 

Daniel glanced over to Amanda, who was bobbing her head eagerly. Leaning in, Daniel pressed a kiss to his mother’s cheek before rushing out the door. The drive from his place to Johnny’s was quick, though he blamed that on barely taking in the laws of the road as he sped through every yellow light and casually paused at stop signs, using the Go-Go’s “Head Over Heels” as his personal soundtrack.

He wasn’t sure what the introduction would be like. If Johnny would be excited to see him or even surprised. Daniel was trying to think of all the things he wanted to say, all the words he was trying to get his mind to process. He loved Johnny and wanted to be with him. He didn’t care about money or security. He just cared about him and whatever future they could have together. 

Hurrying through the side of the house, Daniel knocked on the back door that led to Johnny’s space in the house, bouncing on his heels as he waited for Johnny to answer. 

Instead, another blond answered the door, one that Daniel had only seen in photos and spoken about in the past tense. 

“Can I help you?” She asked, leaning heavily in the doorway. She was wearing nothing but a tee-shirt, one of Johnny’s that Daniel had seen a handful of times in the past few months. It was his favorite and he took damn good care of it. 

“You’re Shannon,” He muttered, unsure of what else to say at that moment. 

She smiled brightly, bobbing her head. “I am. Who are you?” 

“Daniel,” He replied blankly. “I was at the wedding.” 

“What wedding?” She asked, gasping suddenly. “Oh! That whole issue. Sorry, it didn’t work out. You know you got to keep your gift, right?” 

“Is Johnny here?” 

“He’s a little preoccupied right now.” She said, gesturing behind him. “Rough night for the guy. But I’ll tell him you stopped by.” 

And just like that, she closed the door in his face, cutting off whatever chance of blissful happiness Daniel and Johnny might have had. 

A small part of Daniel thought about kicking the door in and dragging Shannon out of it for what she did to Johnny. But it was clear that this was the path that Johnny wanted to go down no matter how he apparently felt for Daniel. 

So rather than taking that chance, Daniel turned back around and left the Diaz/Lawrence household, heading right to that stylish house that Chozen bought for himself with all that money he made in the city. Chozen was still asleep, having also had a long night like the rest of them. 

“Hey! Hey, hey, hey. Wake up. Cho! Chozen.” Daniel rambled, slapping the man repeatedly on the face until he woke from his wasted slumber. “Hey. I need you to get up. Come on.”

“Where’s the fire, Daniel?” He muttered tiredly. 

“I thought it over. I want to elope.” He mentioned, watching as Chozen’s eyes widened brightly. 

“Vegas?” He pondered. 

Daniel shook his head swiftly. “You said you wanted to get married back home, right? Well, let’s head out.” 

Chozen sat up then, watching Daniel carefully. He wondered if the man could see right through him, or if he even really cared enough to wonder why Daniel would change his mind. Instead, he pulled Daniel in, kissing him hard on the lips before jumping up so he could pack his bags. 

Japan was waiting. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter! I'll be posting the final two soon!


	9. Chapter 9

Johnny had forgotten what it was like to wake up with a hangover. He had given up drinking for so long, rarely did he ever find himself experiencing one. His head hurt, as well as his stomach, though he also blamed that on having his ass handed to him by Chozen. The fact that he lost not only Daniel to the bastard, but also his balance was almost too much for Johnny to take. 

Pushing himself off the bed, Johnny went into the bathroom to relieve himself, brushing his teeth so he could get rid of the disgusting taste of puke and morning breath out of his mouth. He heard the sound of someone closing the back door and exited the bathroom, expecting to find Miguel coming in from playing soccer in the backyard. 

Instead, it was Shannon, wearing nothing but his Van Halen tee shirt. He froze, his eyes widening as the realization of what happened after the bar hit him like a train. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“Good morning sleepy head.” She spoke carefully. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to have much fun last night. You were pretty out of it. But now that you’re awake, how about a kiss?” 

“My life is a fucking nightmare,” Johnny muttered quietly. “Go away, Shannon.”

The blonde moved back into the room, going to sit on the edge of his bed. “Johnny. Baby, I thought we talked about this.” 

“I was drunk, Shannon. Whatever talking we did doesn’t count.” Johnny grumbled his mind craving peace, quiet, and coffee. 

“Look, I know we didn’t exactly end on a good note, but I have been doing a lot of thinking and I realized how stupid I was for letting you go.” 

“Translation: you’re single now, guys won’t buy you drinks, so you’ve come crawling back to me,” Johnny muttered, moving so get dressed. 

It was the day of Rosa’s birthday party and while it wasn’t a huge event, he wanted to be able to help any way he could. He had chosen an outfit for the occasion, figuring he’d actually put the effort into looking nice rather than just rolling out of bed like he would for any other event he had done as of late. 

“I deserve that. I do. But I know you’ve missed me, Johnny.” She told him outright. 

Johnny paused, looking away from his closet and back to Shannon. It was so odd, thinking how just three months ago, he would have done anything for this girl. Walked through fire or jumped through hoops. How lonely he had been and how he would have done just about anything to get her back.

And now here she was, dressed in his favorite tee shirt and panties and all he could think about was how that shirt was going to reek of that stupid fucking perfume she always has to wear. 

“I did. I’ll be honest Shannon. I did miss you. But a lot has changed since you left. I’m not the same guy I was.” 

“It’s been three months, Johnny. How much could have changed?” 

“On the outside, not a lot. Still have the same shitty job, same ugly car. But up here,” Johnny lifted his hand, tapping his fingers against his head. “It’s all-new, Shannon.”

“What the hell does that even mean?” 

“I don’t know,” He admitted. “But it’s true. I’m not the same guy you used to know, Shannon. Maybe I’m better or maybe I’m worse. Either way, take the shirt off and get out.” 

“Johnny, come on. Can’t we just try again?” Shannon asked softly, using that lily-light tone that she always did whenever she wanted something. 

Three months ago, it would have made Johnny weak at the knees, though now it reminded him of nails on a chalkboard. 

“I can learn to deal with you just being a wedding singer and not a rockstar. I don’t even think it’s that big of a deal anymore,”

“ _ Learn to deal with it _ ? I don’t want you to learn to deal with it, Shannon, that isn’t how this works!” Johnny scoffed, turning back around so he could continue getting dressed. “Get out, Shannon.” 

He heard her sigh from behind him and flinched as he felt those french tipped nails scratch along his back. He broke away from her, turning around so they were facing one another once again. “I’m going to say this one more time. Get out of my basement, leave this house, and take off my Van Halen tee shirt before you jinx the band and they break up again.” 

Shannon scoffed, her arms crossing over her chest as she rolled her eyes at him. “Are you seriously still pissed about the whole wedding thing?” 

Johnny let her get dressed before throwing her out, though he’d be lying if he said he wished he had just ripped the shirt off her and tossed her naked ass out into the hard. He wasn’t cruel, however, unlike her. Getting his clothes together, Johnny showered and made himself presentable, going upstairs to help set up for the party. 

It was a nice shindig for the woman who had done so much for this family, for Johnny as Rosa had become a second mother to him after he lost his own. Miguel sat in the corner of the yard, playing the guitar just as they had practiced. He performed his song without a hitch, sending his dear grandmother into hysterics over how touching it was. 

Carmen and Jessica were sitting beside Johnny, looking over this gorgeous family that they were lucky to be involved in. “Isn’t it crazy? How the simple things can mean so much to people?” Jessica suggested, looking over Miguel and Rosa. 

“Who knew singing silly songs was enough to make someone weep?” Carmen mused, pushing up from the table to speak to one of the other guests. 

Johnny saw staring out into the distance, coming to only when Jessica shook his head. “Where did you go?” She asked gently. 

“Sorry,” He muttered. “Someone once told me that singing silly love songs for everyone to see was one of the best ways to prove your love to them.” 

“And who told you that?” Jessica asked, humming knowingly when Johnny didn’t answer. “I’m going to miss him.” 

“Me too,” Johnny muttered, clinking his drink against Jessica’s in cheers before taking a slow sip. He pushed up from the table, prepared to go mingle for a bit before retiring back to his room when he caught sight of Amanda making her way through the crowd. 

“Johnny! What the fuck is going on?” She demanded.

“What are you talking about? Why are you here?” 

“I’m here because of Daniel. He came by this morning to talk to you and he said you got back together with Shannon.” 

Johnny groaned aloud, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Nothing happened,” He reassured her. “She wanted to get back together, but I kicked her out.” 

“That’s not what Daniel thinks.” 

“Why was he even here?” Jessica asked, approaching the two. 

Amanda sighed, her expression mixed. “He came to tell you that he was leaving Chozen.” She admitted. “I told him that you stopped by and something sort of clicked in his head and he wanted to tell you how he felt.” 

“And how does he feel?” Johnny asked, his heart raising a million miles an hour. 

Amanda scoffed, glancing over to Jessica before looking back at Johnny. “It doesn’t take a moron to see he’s in love with you.” 

“If that’s true, where is he now?” 

“Currently? On a plane.” Amanda revealed. “After seeing Shannon, he sort of decided to toss the ‘break up with Chozen’ plan and instead gave into Chozen’s desire to elope.”

And just like that, it felt as if Johnny had been punched in the stomach all over again. “They’re getting  _ married _ ? Where?” 

“Japan,” She revealed. “They got the first flight there,” 

Johnny paused, thinking over his options. He could do nothing and let Daniel marry Chozen as planned, let him live that comfortable life he knew Chozen could provide and live in blissful harmony. Or he could ruin it all by opening his big mouth and telling the guy how he felt. 

Turning on his heel, he ran off into the yard, grabbing his guitar from Miguel’s hands, leaning in to kiss his head. “Love you, kiddo!” He swore before hurrying back to the two. “Let’s go!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What song do you think Johnny will sing to Daniel? I've left little hints all around, do you think anybody will get it right?


	10. I Love You Always Forever - Donna Lewis

Johnny had never been on a plane before, let alone flown first class. It was the only seat available on the first plane to Okinawa. It was strange, as visiting the country had always been something that Johnny dreamed of. He knew about the culture, thanks to books and television, but he never thought he’d have the balls to just get on a plane and go there.

Now he was, with plans running through his head. He had no idea how to find Daniel if there even was a wedding venue available in the area, but he had to try. Even if it was too late, he had to confess his feelings for Daniel, even if it meant getting rejected. 

Jessica and Amanda helped pay for his ticket, with the promise to pay them both back one day. Until then, he sat jittering on the plane as flight attendants came around with drinks and warm towels. Johnny didn’t know how to act in first class, having to think back to when he was just a yuppie rich kid. The drinks were free and the warm towel was for his face, though he had no real clue about any of that. 

“I’m sorry. I’m kind of new to all of this,” He admitted, looking around the plane. The seats were spread apart, giving more room to all the first-class passengers. 

“If there is anything you need, just ask.” The man told him, pushing the cart carefully down the aisle to give out the rest of the drinks. 

“Excuse me, do you mind if we switch?” A female passenger asked him carefully. “We’d like to sit together,” She gestured to where her own seat was, a few rows ahead of his own. 

Offering a small smile to the woman beside him, Johnny stood, taking his guitar (his only carry on) and swapping tickets with the woman as he went to his new seat. 

He got comfortable, glancing over to the man he’d be sitting next to only for the air to get caught in his throat. “Holy shit,” He muttered aloud, catching the attention of his seat buddy. “You’re Mister Miyagi.” 

“I am?” The old man asked playfully. “Hopefully, that is a good thing.”

“That’s a great thing. Oh my God.” He looked around the plane, wondering how everybody could just be sitting there so casually when a literal rock legend was next to him. “I have your guitar! Well, not yours but one you made.” 

He grabbed it from the luggage hold above the seats, showing it off to the man. Miyagi bobbed his head in approval, going into his bag to retrieve a Sharpie. “Shall I sign?” 

“Holy shit,” Johnny repeated, watching as the old man signed his guitar. 

“So. What brings you to Japan?” he asked curiously. 

Johnny laughed nervously then. “It’s kind of a long story.” He confessed. 

Miyagi looked up, smirking then. “Good thing it is a long flight.” 

Johnny certainly didn’t expect to spend the plane ride to Japan recalling the story of what happened to him, especially not to Miyagi -- or the rest of the first-class passengers or the flight staff -- but he did. He started from the beginning, of how he met Daniel, to Shannon leaving, and returning, and everything in between. It was a wild ride, one Johnny had never planned on taking, but alas, crazier things have happened. 

“I have no idea how to find him, but I know I will. Even if I’m too late, he has to know how I feel.” 

“Johnny will find him. This Miyagi sure of.” Miyagi swore, bobbing his head with reassurance.

One of the flight attendants came through the door of the coach, tugging on the arm of one of the girls. They began speaking in Japanese, both looking back at the door as they rolled their eyes. 

“What are they talking about?” Johnny asked Miyagi curiously. 

“Male attendant says coach passenger hit on him. Wants female to take over in coach.” Miyagi explained. “Something bout mile-high club,” 

Johnny narrowed his eyes, thinking back to the comment Chozen had made in the club. The mile-high club wasn’t some secretive thing, though you’d have to be pretty involved to know the meaning behind it. Getting up from his seat, he carefully went over to the entryway, pulling the curtain away slightly so he could peep through. 

There, sitting alone and gazing out the window was Chozen. And making his way down the aisle, returning to his seat was his lovely groom to be, Daniel. Johnny’s heart jumped into his throat and he nearly stumbled back into his seat. 

“You’re not going to believe this. The mile-high club guy is  _ Chozen _ .” Johnny mentioned quietly. 

“This sign. Good things to happen for you, Johnny-San.” 

“Hold onto that nickname until I figure out a plan,” Johnny muttered, going to sit back down as he tried to think. He couldn’t just approach Daniel suddenly. 

He thought about having one of the flight attendants bringing him into first class so they could talk alone, but even that didn’t seem like enough. He had to impress Daniel, show him he cared, show much just how much he loved him. 

The invisible light bulb went on above Johnny’s head and he went to grip Miyagi’s arm desperately. 

“Mister Miyagi, you’re my hero, so I can’t believe I am saying this, but I need your help.” 

Johnny never thought he’d live to see the day that his idol came to his rescue, but as he tuned his guitar to the right setting, he watched as Miyagi stood with the flight attendant, speaking into the intercom, both in Japanese and in English. 

“We thank all of you for flying to Okinawa today. Now, some in-flight entertainment. The first-class passenger has a very special message for the coach passenger. Without further ado.” 

Johnny breathed slowly as he approached the flight attendant, guitar in hand. It was now or never. No looking back. With a bob of his head, he began to play, letting the guitar do the speaking. He had performed the song before, back when he had the whole venue band backing him up with more instruments and backup vocals. Now it was just him and his guitar, singing the one song he knew Daniel would want to hear. 

_ “When the night falls, I wait for you, and you come around. And the world's alive, with the sound of kids on the street outside. When you walk into the room, you pull me close, and we start to move. And we're spinnin' with the stars above. And you lift me in a wave of love.”  _

Johnny pushed through the curtain, moving slowly into the coach entryway. Daniel was watching him, wide-eyed and smiling. There were a handful of emotions spread across his face; shock, awe, and most importantly, happiness. 

_ “Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth? Ooh, heaven is a place on earth. They say in heaven, love comes first. We'll make heaven a place on Earth.” _

Chozen, on the other hand, looked a little less than pleased. He looked between Johnny and Daniel, the reality of the situation finally hitting him. Pushing up from his seat, he pushed past Daniel, hurrying down the aisle to get to Johnny, without a doubt ready for round two of that little fight they had. 

_ “In this world, we're just beginnin' to understand the miracle of livin'. Baby, I was afraid before, but I'm not afraid anymore.” _

The flight attendant cut him off though, pushing the drink cart through, making it impossible for him to go by. Not giving up, Chozen pushed through the next row, only to be cut off by Miyagi, pushing a cart of his own. 

“Get the hell out of the way old man!” He snapped, earning a shove of the cart from Miyagi. The old man continued to push Chozen back until he was at the back of the plane, close enough for the flight attendant to shove him into the nearest bathroom and block the door with the drink cart, trapping him there. 

_ “Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth? Ooh, heaven is a place on earth. They say in heaven, love comes first. We'll make heaven a place on Earth.” _

Johnny knelt in front of Daniel, strumming the last few chords of the song before finishing off, his hand gripping the guitar nervously. 

“Hi,” He breathed softly. “I sang that song for you. Someone told me singing silly love songs for everyone to see was a good way to show someone you love them.” 

“It’s a great song,” Daniel said, his eyes twinkling with the threat of tears. “My  _ favorite _ song,” He admitted, his voice tight. “How did you know that?” 

“Because I know you,” Johnny revealed. “And I love you, Daniel. So much.” 

Daniel laughed then, blissful and happy as the bow finally broke. Tears streamed down his face, enough for Johnny to reach out and wipe them away with his thumb. “I’m sorry,” 

Daniel lifted his own hand, holding Johnny’s as he leaned into his touch. “Me too.” 

“I have to ask you something,” Johnny confessed. He watched Daniel intensely, knowing this is the last moment of him being who he never wanted to be. The guy who never thought he’d get his happy ending. Who believed that marriage was a shame and that love was just a bunch of bullshit. He ran his thumb along Daniel’s cheek, holding his face carefully as he asked the question he never thought he’d ask again. “Will you marry me?” 

And Daniel, being the angel that he was, didn’t make him wait for an answer. “One condition: you sing at the wedding.” 

And just like that, Johnny’s world shifted back into place. 

“Deal,” He said, moving in to seal it with a kiss. 

It only lasted a moment, as Miyagi was by his side, clapping a hand against his back proudly. “You play well, Johnny-San. I shall tell producers about you once we land.” 

“I’m very honored, Miyagi. Can I kiss my fiance now?” 

“Of course,” 

Daniel froze then, staring up at the older man in surprise. “That’s Nariyoshi Miyagi .” He muttered, looking over Johnny’s shoulder as the man returned to his seat. 

“Yeah. We’re sort of friends now,” Johnny admitted proudly. “Where were we?” 

Daniel’s eyes flickered back and forth before finally getting out of it, pulling Johnny back in for another much-needed kiss. 

They didn’t get married in Japan, though they did spend a few days there enjoying their engagement bliss. Returning to California without Chozen was a strange thing for Daniel to explain, but none of that mattered to them.

With the help of friends and family, the two scrambled together to put together the dream wedding both Daniel and Johnny could have hoped for. One filled with close friends and family who loved them and wanted to celebrate this union with them. 

Johnny counted down the minutes as he stood in the sand, the echoing sounds of the waves crashing behind him soundtracked the wedding, along with Miyagi himself who played an acoustic rendition of “I Will” by the Beatles as Daniel walked down the aisle with his mother. 

And when they kissed as an official married couple, maybe believed it to be the gorgeous ending to their fairy tale, but Johnny liked to think of it as a beautiful beginning. 

  
One definitely worth waiting for. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, folks! We reached our end. Once again, thank you to StoriesOfMyLife who inspired this story by giving me the challenge to write a fic based on a book/movie. This story has truly been a lot of fun and I am glad many of you enjoyed it. 
> 
> Until next time.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I just want to let it be known that this isn't a complete copy and paste of the movie. I changed certain things to fit the characters a bit more. Johnny won't be singing "I Want To Grow Old With You" but he will be singing something! Stay tuned for lots of 80's music, okay? 
> 
> Also, I know this takes place in the '90s, but let's just all pretend that gay marriage is legal kay? 
> 
> Tell me what you thought!!! I currently have 3 active fics for this ship, what the hell?


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